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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.V.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notas/Notes  techniques  at  bibliographiques 


Thfl 
tot 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
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copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


n 

□ 

n 

n 
□ 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommag^e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  at/ou  pellicul6e 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  biack)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serrde  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  uu  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int6rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutdes 
lors  d'une  restau  ration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6td  filmdes. 

Additional  comments;/ 
Commentalres  suppldmentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm6  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  it6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  ddtaiis 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite.  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  methods  normaie  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


I      I   Coloured  pages/ 


D 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pellicul6es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcoiories.  tachetdes  ou  piqu^es 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtachdes 


Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


I      I   Quality  of  print  varies/ 


Quality  indgaie  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  mat4riel  suppi^mentaire 

Only  edition  availtble/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


Pages  wholly  cr  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  ini  -ige/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partieliement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  fiimdes  d  nouveau  de  fapon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


The 
poa 
of  1 
filnr 


Orij 
beg 
the 
sioi 
oth 
firs 
sior 
or  I 


The 
she 
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whi 

Mai 
diff 
enti 
beg 
righ 
reqi 
met 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


y 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


aire 
details 
ues  du 
t  modifier 
ger  une 
I  filmage 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Scott  Library, 
York  University 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


L'exemplaire  filmt  fut  reproduit  grflce  A  la 
gAnirosltA  de: 

Scott  Library, 
York  University 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  re>iroduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tanu  d«  la  condition  et 
de  la  netteti  de  l'exemplaire  film*,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


i6es 


Original  copies  In  printed  paper  covers  are  flPmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  Illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  piage  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  Impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  -^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  y  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  ImprimAe  sont  filmfo  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  termlnant  solt  par  la 
dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  solt  par  le  second 
plat,  solon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmte  en  commenpant  par  ia 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  termlnant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
derniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  seion  le 
cas:  le  symbols  —►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


ire 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  Illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmte  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6, 11  est  film6  d  partir 
de  I'angle  sup6rleur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m6thode. 


ty  errata 
Bd  to 

int 

ne  pelure, 

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1  2  3 


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4 

5 

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( 


SKETCHES 


01>TB£ 


HISTORY,  MANNERS,  AND  CUSTOMS;^ 


■)  I 


or  TH£ 


ifORTB  jBonmaoBx  nmuM9j 


WITH 


A  PLAN  FOR  THEIR  MELlOHATIONi 


BY  JAMES  BUCHANAN,  Esq. 

HIS  £KITANN1C  MAJESTY'S  COKSUL  FOR  THE  STATE  QT  NEW«\'QtvK. 


IN  TWO  VOLUMES; 

VOL.  I. 


xmw-YOBs : 

PUBUSHED   Br   WILLUM   BOKKADAU.t; 
Nor  130  Fulton-street. 

1824. 


I  ^ 


a,-**::  ^   ^.■, 


fiotithem  District  of  J\''eis;-York,  sa^ 

^    T     C!      ^  Be  jt  REMEMBKltED,  That  on  the  27th  day  NovenibQi. 

T    JLi  J5,    ♦A.  D,  1824,  in  the  49th  year  of  the  Independence  of  tlio 
^    ♦United  States  of  America,  William  Borraaaile,  of  the  said 

'^♦♦'♦'♦♦'^♦♦District,  hath  deposited  in  this  office  the  title  of  a  Bo»k 

th*^  right   whereof  he  claims  as  Proprietor,  in  the    words  followiog, 

^0  Wit ; 

"  Sketches  of  the  History,  MaQners,  and  Customs,  of  the 
North  American  Indians,  with  a  {ilan  for  their  meliora- 
tion.   By  James  Buchanan,  Esq.  his  Britannic  Majesty's 
'  Consul  for  the  State  of  New- York.    In  two  volumes." 


in  conformity  to  the  Act  of  Congress  of  the  United  States,  entitled  '-  Au 
Act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by  securing  the  copies  of  Maps. 
Charts,  und  Books,  to  the  auvhors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies,  duriujt' 
the  time  therein  mentioned."  And  also  to  an  Act,  entitled  "  Au  Act. 
supplementary  to  an  Act,  entitled  an  Act  for  the  encouragement  of  Learn- 
ing, b^  securing  the  copies  of  Maps,  Charts,  and  Books,  to  the  authors  ami 
proprietors  of  such  copies,  duringthe  times  therein  mentioned,  and  exteiiil- 
ing  the  benefits  thereof  to  the  arts  of  designing,  engraving,  and  efciiiu^ 
hii^eiical  and  other  prints." 

JAMES  DILL,  Clerk  of  iJie  $ot{the)7i  Dislrki  of  I^en-'YoH. 


.,„-», JiU .  «^»»6-.-„««tt-'"  ' 


SKETCHES 


Of    tHE 


HISTORY,  MANNERS,  AND  CUSTOMS 


OP    THE 


NORTH  AMEmOAlf  UmiAVS, 


m 


'00 


DEDICATION* 


TO    HIS   EXCELLENCY 
UEUT.-OENERAL  THE  EARL  OF  DALHOUSIE,  G.  C.  B» 

G0VE11N0R.OBNERAL  AND  COMMANDERIN-CHIEF  OF  ALL  HIS 
MAJESTY'S  POSSESSIONS  IN  NORTH  AMERICA,  lie.  Itc. 

Weil  aware,  my  Lord,  of  the  effects  produced  by 
splendid  talents,  great  personal  worth,  and  hereditary 
rank,  in  promoting  any  work  of  benevolence,  I  solicited 
and  obtained  permission  to  dedicate  the  following  pages 
to  your  Excellency. 

It  is  quite  unnecessary  to  speak  here  of  your  Lord- 
ship's deeds ;  they  are  too  recent,  too  illustrious,  too 
intimately  connected  with  the  history  and  the  glory  of 
the  British  Empire. 

Wishing  your  Excellency  long  to  enjoy  a  reputation , 
thUB  acquired  and  merited, 

I  have  the  honour  to  remain, 

Your  Lordship's 

Most  obedient,  humble  servant^ 

JAS.  BUCHANAN, 

J^tto-'  YoYkj  1  St  Mat/,  1 82 1 . 


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PRteFACE. 


In  attempting  to  lay  before  the  Public  a  sketch  o( 
the  History  of  the  Red  Indians  of  North  America,  with 
a  view  to  excite  a  general  sympathy  in  behalf  of  an 
oppressed  and  suffering  people,  1  am  aware  of  the  great 
importance  of  my  undertaking,  and  sensibly  feel  my 
inability  to  stand  forward  as  an  advocate,  in  any  de- 
gree equal  to  the  task  I  have  thus  imposed  on  myself. 

With  but  few  exceptions,  the  American  Indians  have 
been  abandoned  by  the  Christian  world,  as  a  cruel, 
blood-thirsty,  and  treacherous  race,  incapable  of  civi- 
lization, and  therefore,  unworthy  of  that  attention  which 
the  inhabitants  of  other  barbarous  climes  have  received 
from  the  zeal  and  devotion  of  many  learned  and  pious 
members  of  society. — Thousunds  have  raised  their  voi- 
ces against  the  wrongs  of  our  black  brethren  of  Africa, 
From  one  end  of  Europe  to  the  other,  the  humane  have 
been  aroused  to  a  £<?nse  of  their  injuries,  and  are  now 
actively  engaged  in  the  prosecution  of  every  measure 
calculated  to  alleviate  their  sufferings ;  while  but  few- 
have  been  stimulated  to  similar  exertions  in  behalf  of 
the  Red  American  Indians,  from  whose  native  soil  the 
wealth  of  a  great  portion  of  the  civilized  world  has 
been  derived.  The  African  is  submissive;  his  ]Mitient 
endurance  of  labour  renders  his  servile  and  d^ased 
state  important  to  us  ;  he  is  therefore,  preserved.  The 
North  American  Indian,  on  the  contrary,  prefers  ba- 
nishment, and  even  death,  to  slavery ;  but  his  lands 
are  serviceable  to  us,  therefore  his^xtinction  seems  to 
be  desired.  The  one  submits  to  tlie  yoke, — we  op- 
press and  pity  him :  the  other  disdains  to  become  the 
servant  of  man — and  his  whole  race  is  devoted  to  gra- 
dual extermination ;  for  such  must  be  the  inevitable 
consequence  of  nil  those  measures  which  have  been, 
and  still  are  in  operation  against  him,  though  their  in 


Mil 


PIlCT'ACi:. 


I 


i 


If 


fliction  is  marked  by  different  shades  of  guilt.  In  a 
few  ages,  perhaps  a  few  years,  these  sons  of  Edom  wil) 
bff  so  far  removed  from  the  reach  or  eye  of  any  but  those 
Engaged  in  the  work  of  destrnctroir,  that  no  trace  wil! 
be  left  to  posterity  of  the  wrongs  which  have  been  per- 
petrated upon  the  Aborigines  of  the  great  American 
Continent. 

I  confess  that  I  had  no  other  idea  of  an  American 
Indian,  than  that  he  was  the  most  ferocious  of  human 
beings.  Whenever  l*e  became  named,  his  scal|>ing> 
knife,  tortiahawk,  warwhoop,  and  thirst  of  blood,  were 
at  once  associated  in  my  mind  ;  and  hence  I  was  led 
to  concur  in  the  almost  universal  opinion,  that  he  was 
totally  incapable  of  being  rendered  subservient  to  the 
arts  of  civilized  life.  In  the  course  of  my  travels 
through  the  United  States  and  Upper  Canada,  I  met 
with  several  Indians,  whose  external  wretchedness  in- 
duced me  to  make  inquiries  as  to  their  present  con- 
dition ;  and  although  many  persons  to  whom  1  ad- 
dressed myself  appeared  to  be  perfectly  indifferent  on 
the  subject,  and  spoke  of  them  in  the  most  degrading 
terms,  1  was  led  to  seek  for  farther  information  respect-< 
ing  their  character,  in  the  pursuit  of  which  I  have  been 
engaged  for  three  years. 

Little  did  I  imagine,  that  one  of  the  most  interest- 
ing subjects  that  can  present  itself  to  the  human  mind, 
would  open  upon  me  ;  the  full  developement  of  which 
would  require  the  united  and  extended  labours  of  men 
of  talent  and  research,  the  absolute  devotion  of  their 
time  and  energies,  to  place  before  the  world  an  impar- 
tial view  of  the  Indians  of  North  America,  whose  vir- 
tues, independence  of  mind,  and  nobleness  of  charac- 
ter^ have  procured  from  their  oppressors,  as  a  justifica- 
tion of  those  meaiiires  of  severity  which  have  been 
practised  toward  tfiem,  the  most  foul  and  unjust  repre- 
sentations. They  have  been  gradually  wasting  away 
from  the  effects  of  cruelty  and  oppression,  unheeded 
and  unpitied,  until  their  aggregate  numbers,  it  is  con-^ 
jectured,  has  been  reduced  to  less  than  two  millions. 


/*^  ' 


pnEFAce. 


IV 


It  has  hitherto  been  the  policy  of  those  by  whom 
the  North  American  Indians  have  been  most  oppressed, 
to  represent  them  as  very  contemptible  in  numbers ; 
and  although  they  have  become  nearly  extinct  on  the 
borders,  and  in  settled  portions  of  the  continent,  it  may 
be  fairly  presumed  that  the  more  warlike  and  active 
tribes  have  removed  into  the  interior,  as  they  have  been 
found  in  numerous  bodies  by  parties  engaged  in  all  the 
late  expeditions.  A  sufficient  number,  however,  yet 
remains  to  excite  our  sympathy.  The  wrongs  which 
have  been  inflicted  upon  their  whole  race,  have  furnish- 
ed ample  regions  for  the  occupancy  of  civilized  man. 
And  does  not  our  past  neglect  of  their  suffering  and 
abandoned  state,  loudly  call  upon  us  to  make  repara- 
tion for  the  ills  they  have  endured — to  return  to  acts  of 
justice,  mercy,  and  kindness ;  and,  though  late,  to  re- 
commend to  the  surviving  Indians  the  religion  we  pro- 
fess, by  all  those  means  which  the  gospel  enjoins  f  In 
the  earnest  hope  that  many  may  be  led  to  a  serious 
contemplation  of  this  great  and  glorious  object — that 
many  with  the  talents,  energy,  and  benevolence  of  a 
Wilberforce,  both  in  the  United  States  and  in  Great 
Britain,  may  yet  be  found  to  interpose  their  power  and 
energies  in  behalf  of  a  race  destitute  of  the  use  of  let- 
ters— to  vindicate  their  character,  and  to  set  forth  some 
portion  of  their  wrongs,  I  have  been  led  to  prosecuj[c 
my  inquiries  respecting  the  North  American  Indians. 

While  engaged  in  these  pursuits,  I  learnt  that  the 
Historical  Society  of  Philadelphia,  actuated  by  a  laud- 
able desire  to  preserve  an  account  of  the  Aborigines, 
had  requested  the  Rev.  John  Heckewelder,  a  Moravian 
Missionary,  to  furnish  a  detail  of  the  information  he 
had  acquired  during  a  residence  of  the  greater  portion 
of  his  life  among  the  Indians  of  Pennsylvania  and 
the  adjoining  states.  That  gentleman,  although  seven- 
ty-five years  of  age,  readily  engaged  in  the  arduous 
undertaking,  and  his  '*  Historical  Account  of  the  In~ 
dian  Nations''  has  been  published  in  the  transactioas 
ef  the  Society,  who  have  thus  rendered  an  important 
service  to  science  and  to  mankind ;  while  the  reverend 


t*-- 


X  PREFACE. 

author  has  left  on  record  an  unparalleled  example  of 
benevolence,  sympathy,  patience,  and  self-devotion. 
From  the  fulness  of  his  work,  I  deemed  the  further 
prosecution  of  my  labours  unnecessary,  lest  my  efforts 
might  appear  to  many  as  a  mere  presumptuous  display. 
I  had  therefore,  abandoned  all  intention  of  placing  niy> 
self  before  the  public  ;  but  upon  my  arrival  in  London 
in  the  summer  of  1820,  having  casually  spoken  of  the 
Interest  I  had  taken  in  the  present  state  of  the  North 
American  Indians,  it  was  suggested,  that  from  my  ob- 
servations and  researches,  which  extended  to  other 
tribes  than  those  more  particularly  noticed  by  Air.  Heck- 
G.we)der,  together  with  extracts  from  such  parts  of  his 
useful  and  interesting  volume^  as  tend  to  confirm  and 
illustrate  the  facts  I  had  collected,  or  the  vi^iws  I  had 
taken  of  the  subject,  the  public  might  be  presented  with 
a  work,  in  some  degree  calculated  to  facilitate  the 
adoption  of  measures  in  favour  of  the  Indians. 

Under  this  impression,  I  have  consented  to  place 
my  humble  labours  before  the  Public,  disclaiming  the 
slightest  pretension  to  merit  as  an  author,  and  having 
no  view  to  pecuniary  advantage  from  the  publication  : 
yet  I  can  with  confidence  state,  that  with  di/gence  and 
zeal  I  have  availed  myself  of  every  opportunity  of  coK 
lecting  information  from  the  most  authentic  sources. 
Many  curious  statements  have  been  rejected,  though 
perhaps  true  ;  and  the  reader  is  earnestly  entreated  to 
keep  in  mind  the  fable  of  the  Lion  and  the  Panther,  as 
he  will  thereby  be  induced  to  view  with  jealousy,  re*- 
ports  which  may  be  prejudical  to  the  Indian  character. 
Let  him  also  remember,  that  they  have  no  historians, 
to  record  their  wrongs,  or  plead  their  cause  against 
<heir  oppressors  ; — yet  they  believe,  as  I  do,  that  the 
Gtreat  Spirit  hears  their  sighs  and  regards  their  suf- 
ferings, and  that  He  will  appear  to  the  oppressor  and 
the  oppressed  as  a  God  of  Justice. 

*  Mr.  Heckewelder's  **  Historical  Account"  exists  only  in  the  print- 
ed iraneactions  of  the  Philadelphian  Society.  It  is,  ou  this  accountt 
little,  if  at  all,  known  cmong  the  British  Public;  and  I  have  ttverSfor^ 
be^cepioMs  in  my  extracts  from  (h^  Rer.  Author's  pag;e{i. 


•    r* 


■  A  «-  fc-WH»^- 


PREFACE. 


si 


Many  recent  acts  of  barbarity  which  have  been  CQm» 
mitted  upon  the  Indians,  I  have  deemed  it  prudent  to 
omit  in  the  present  work;  but  those  who  read  the 
speeches  in  Congress  on  the  late  war  against  the  Semr* 
nole  Indians,  will  find  therein  much  to  excite  tueii* 
sympathy.  My  object  is  not  to  awaken  national  feel- 
ings or  prejndiceiii,  but  to  unite  the  efforts  of  all  good 
men  in  behalf  of  these  oppresped  children  of  the  wilder- 
ness ;  so  that  societies  may  be  formed,  to  watch  over 
their  rights,  and,  by  the  powerful  agency  of  the  press, 
to  restrain  lawless  power  from  farther  acts  of  cruelty 
and  injustice. — Happily  this  feeling  has  of  late  been 
extended  in  the  United  States ;  and  the  humane  and 
just  sentiments  promulgated  by  His  Excellency  DeWilt 
Clinton,  Governor  of  the  State  of  New  York,  the  un- 
wearied zeal  of  Mr.  Colden,  the  mayor,  and  the  ho^ 
mane  disoosition  of  many  persons  of  the  highest  re- 
spectability in  the  United  States,  lead  me  to  avoid  even 
the  appearance  of  wishing  to  allow  any  sentiment  to 
iniit^le  in  this  work,  which  might  attach  to  it  an  air  of 
nationality.  The  kindness  and  civility  which  I  have 
experienced  in  the  United  States,  I  have  uniformly  and 
shall  ever  be  ready  to  acknowledge. 

With  this  exposition  of  my  motives,  sources  of  infor- 
mation, and  desires,  I  trust  my  feeble  efforts  will  be 
iiupported  by  all  classes  of  people  ;  and,  entreating  a 
favourable  feeling  towards  the  execution  and  arrange^ 
m.ent,  I  commit  the  cause  of  the  Americun  Djdianrs  to- 
an  enlightened  and  benevolent  Public, 

J^ew  York,  1st  May,  1821. 


». 


'^ 


Vi 


t  .     -  — • 


HISTORICAL  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  NORTH 
AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


CHAPTER  1.    INTRODUCTOHY. 

r  My  design  in  the  following  pages  is  rather  to  collect  / 
a  series  of  facts  and  observations,  bearing  on  the  recenti 
and  present  state  and  chcracter  of  the  North  American 
Indians,  than  to  furnish  an  account  of  their  remote 
history.  Whether  they  are  or  are  not  the  Aborigines; 
whether  their  derivation  is  to  be  sought  among  the 
Tartars,  who,  in  ages  past,  according  to  the  sublime 
hypothesis  of  Governor  De  Witt  Clinton,  over-ran 
and  exterminated  nations  who  then  inhabited  great 
part  of  North  America,  and  who  had  made  considera- 
ble progress  in  the  arts  of  civilized  life ;  whether  the 
theory  adopted  by  Adair  and  Dr.  Boudinot  be  true, 
that  they  are  the  descendants  of  the  long-lost  ten  tribes 
of  Israel ;  whether,  in  short,  America  was  peopled  from 
any  of  the  countries  of  the  old  hemisphere,  or  those 
from  America,  are  questions  which,  however  interesting, 
I  leave  to  be  discussed  by  abler  Antiquarians  than  my- 
self. My  anxiety,  awakened  by  the  present  oppressed 
and  demoralized  condition  of  the  red  Indians,  has 
indeed  glanced  backwards  a  few  years  to  ascertain 
their  character  previous  to  their  intercourse  with 
European  man ;  and  I  think  it  might  be  safely  asserted 
that,  until  that  fatal  period  of  their  history,  they  were,  in 
(he  unsophisticated  qualities  of  mind,  one  of  the 
noblest  people  of  the  earth.  It  is  indeed  astonishing 
how,  without  the  aid  of  science  or  letters,  they  coui^. 


--!«5T\  - 


\ 


s 


I 


14 


INTRODUCTION. 


Ijave  acquired  so  much  of  that  moral  power,  dignity, 
and  courtesy,  which  in  our  pride  we  attribute  exchi- 
sively  to  civilized  life.  Their  religious  belief  is,  to 
say  the  least  of  it,  purer  than  that  of  refined  and  philo- 
sophical Greece  and  Rome ;  and  they  follow  its  doc- 
trines with  perfect  sincerity.  Neither  infidelity,  luke- 
warmness,  nor  hypocrisy  in  regard  to  spiritual  matters 
is  ever  found  among  them,  excepting,  indeed,  their 
prophets,  priests,  and  conjurers.  We  are  told  by  M. 
De  la  Salle,  in  the  account  of  his  last  expedition  and 
discoveries  in  North  America,  in  1678,  "that  at  the 
decrease  of  the  moon,  the  Indians  carried  a  great  dish  of 
their  greatest  dainties  to  the  door  of  the  temple,  as  an 
oblatory  sacrifice ;  which  the  priests  offered  to  their 
god,  and  then  they  carried  it  home,  and  feasted  them- 
■selves  with  it."  Here,  at  any  rate,  is  a  little  touch  of 
Sacerdotal  refinement,  worthy  of  an  European  Friar. 

Their  languages  re  characterized  by  abundance, 
strength,  comprehensiveness  of  expression,  and  ad- 
mirable method  in  their  grammatical  structure ;  "  in- 
deed," says  Mr.  Duponceau,  "  from  the  view  offered 
by  Mr.  Heckewelder  of  the  Lenni  Lenape  idiom^  it 
would  rather  appear  to  have  been  formed  by  philoso- 
phers in  their  closets,  than  by  savages  in  the  wilder- 
ness."* And  in  their  oratory,  which  they  take  great 
pains  to  cultivate,  they  have  never  been  exceeded,  in 
ancient  or  modern  senates,  for  pertinent  argument,  and 
eloquence  both  imaginative  and  pathetic.  Governor 
Clinton,  speaking  of  the  Iroquois,  or  Five  Nations, 
tells  us  that,  *'  their  exterior  relations,  general  interests, 
and  national  affairs  were  conducted  and  superintended 
by  a  great  coqncil,  assembled  annually  in  Onondaga, 
the  central  canton,  composed  of  the  chiefs  of  ep.zh.  re- 
public; and  eighty  sachems  were  frequently  convened 
at  this  national  assembly.  It  took  cognizance  of  the 
great  questions  of  war  and  peace ;  of  the  affairs  of  the 
tributary  nations,  and  of  their  negotiations  with  the 

*  D  up  anceau's  Report  to  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  h«td 
*t  Philadelphia,  p.  14. 


INTRODUCTION. 


15 


dignity, 
exclu- 
ef  is,  to 
id  philo- 
its  doc- 
y,  luke- 
matters 
!d,  their 
dbyM. 
ion  and 
at  the 
Lt  dish  of 
le,  as  an 
to  their 
(d  tbemr\ 
touch  o|^ 
Friar.     , 
indance, 
and  ad- 
re;  "in- 
offered 
idiom^  it 
philoso- 
(  wilder- 
ke  great 
jeded,  in 
ent,  and 
Governor 
Nations, 
nterests, 
intended 
loudaga, 
j?ich  re- 
onvened 
:e  of  the 
rs  of  the 
i^ith  the 

siety,  held 


French  and  English  colonies.  All  their  proceedings 
were  conducted  with  great  deliberation,  and  were  dis- 
tinguished for  order,  decorum,  and  solemnity.  In 
eloquence,  in  dignity,  and  in  all  the  characteristics  of 
profound  policy,  they  surpassed  an  assembly  of  feudal 
barons,  and  were  perhaps  not  far  inferior  to  the  great 
Amphyctionic  Council  of  Greece."^  In  another  place 
herspesksof  the  sublime  display  of  intellectual  power 
in  the  address  of  Garangula,  an  Onondaga  chief,  to 
M.  Delabarre,  a  French  general,  who  in  1683,  marched 
with  an  army  against  the  Iroquois.  This  rhetorical 
talent,  however,  is  declared  by  the  same  authority  to 
be  peculiar  to  the  Five  Nations.  "  The  most  remark- 
able difference,"  he  states,  **  existed  between  the  con- 
federates and  the  other  Indian  nations,  with  respect  to 
eloquence.  You  may  search  in  vain  in  the  records 
and  writings  of  the  past,  or  in  events  of  the  present  times, 
for  a  single  model  of  eloquence  among  the  Algonkins, 
the  Abenaquis,  the  Delawares»  the  Shawanese,  or  any 
other  nation  of  Indiana  except  the  Iroquois. "f  On  the 
other  hand,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Heckewelder,  who  has  spent 
the  greater  portion  of  a  long  life  among  the  Lenni  Le- 
nape,  or  Delawares,  has  affirmed  in  his  historical  ac- 
count of  the  Indian  nations,  (of  which  the  Lenni  Le- 
nape  and  the  Iroquois  form  the  two  great  divisions,) 
that  the  Delawares  are  also  conspicuous  for  oratorical 
ability.  He  quotes  a  speecii  of  Captain  Pipe,  a  chief 
of  that  nation,  and  has  made  use  ofthe  following  words 
in  commenting  on  It.  "  Here  we  see  boldness,  frank- 
ness, dignity,  and  humanity  happily  blended  together, 
and  most  eloquently  displayed.  1  am  much  mistaken 
if  the  component  parts  of  this  discourse  are  not  put  to- 
gether much  according  to  the  rules  of  oratory  which 
are  taught  in  the  schools,  and  which  were  certainly  un- 
known to  this  savage.  The  peroration  is  short,  but 
truly  pathetic,  and  I  would  say,  sublime ;  and  then  the 
admirable  way    in   which  it  is  prepared !     I    wish  I 

*  De  Witt  Clinton's  Discourse  to  the  New- York  Soci'  ty,  p.  49, 60. 
t  De  Witt  Clinton's  Discourse  to  the  New- York  Society,  p.  71. 


.SI 


16 


INTRODUCTlOK* 


t 


\ 


could  convey  to  the  reader's  mind  only  a  small  part  of 
the  impression  which  this  speech  made  on  me  and  on  all 
present  when  it  was  delivered."^ 

The  assertion  of  Governor  Clinton  seems  to  have  re* 
suited  from  his  knowing  more  of  the  Five  Nations  than 
of  any  other  tribe  of  Indians.    The  Shawanese,  no  less 
than  the  Delawares,  are  among  his  list  of  exceptions  ; 
and  yet  we  find,  in  the  book  lately  published  by  Mr. 
Hunter,  a  most  splendid  example  of  eloquence  in  a 
speech  of  Te-cum-seh,  a  Shawanee  warrior.f  The  ef- 
fect it  had  on  his  hearers,  one  of  whom  was  Mr.  Hun- 
ter himself,  was  electrical ;  and  I  will  quote  his  account 
of  it,  in  order  to  show  that  the  high  opinion  of  Indian 
oratory  is  not  derived  from  any  one  authority  which 
might  be  exaggerated,  or  through  the  medium  of  pro- 
fessed translators,  who  might  be  disposed  to  manufac- 
ture these  harangues,  after  a  given  model,  into  the  Eu- 
ropean tongues ;  but  that  it  operates  upon  all  alike, 
and  shines  with  the  same  character  through  every  va- 
riety and  accident  of  interpretation.     The  Indian  ora- 
tions have   been  rendered  by    illiterate  persons    sent 
among  them  to  conciliate  their  favour ;  by  prisoners, 
male  and  female,  who  learnt  the  language  during  their 
captivity  ;  by  learned   missionaries ;  by  traders,  who 
will  not  perhaps  be  suspected  of  romantic  enthusiasm ; 
by  Dutchmen,  Frenchmen,  Englishmen,  and  Americans; 
and  the  result,  in  all  cases,  has  been  very  similar.  The 
doubts,  therefore,  which  have  been,  and  still  continue  to 
be,  entertained  as  to  Indian  eloquence,  are,  to  say  the 
least  of  them,  inconsiderate.     The  probability  is  that 
they  are  injured,  rather  than  improved,  by  transmission 
into  European  languages.  "  I  wish  it  was  in  my  power," 
says  Mr.  Hunter,  speaking  of  Te-cum-seh,  "  to  do  jus- 
tice to  the  eloquence  of  this  distinguished  man ;  but  it 
Is  utterly  impossible.  The  richest  colours,  shaded  with 
a  master's  pencil,  would  fall  infinitely  short  of  the  glow- 

*  Ileckewelder'a  Historical  Account  of  the  Indian  Natioiu,  p.  124,  ' 
t  Hunter's  iyieia»U'3  tfi^  Cajptivitr  atneng^  th^  NoKh  A'merioAi  In« 
^ian»^  p.  43,  &c. 


s 


^mm, 


'liii^i^\ 


v^g^'" 


fSa^M^iUfcl 


^##»#tf*3^ 


„^y,,«^ielip**^^IF«M^*^J^|„, his  latter 

*  Hunter,  p.  212. 

l3 


>«lilf<<impM«ir<"''*«v>- 


18 


INTRODUCTION* 


nRtiiittUjythey  display  ^jp  oco«4iopt  in  private  life  which 
are  too  ^t  to  stir  up  jth^  iretentro^  and  envy,  and  all 
the  mea9  ;paiiionii  of  c»yiliiid  iQan,  It  will  be  naturally 
expecu^  thai  having  >|D(iyen  thit^fpmroarjr  of  loidian 
virtutl^^'SliOttld  sav  something  of  Indian  vices ;  and  I 
ai^iappy  that  ihe  fatter  will  bear  no  proportion  to  the 
fcmer  catalogue.  Cruelty  and  an  eager  appetite  for 
r^^nge,  are  th^  chief,  if  not  the  only,  deformities  of 
their  nature;  and  these  are  scarcely  ever |nant^sted, 
e3(cept  in  their  op^  ho|tilides,jhe  causes  of  w^^h  are 
precisely  similar  to  those  which  actuate  civ|]j|?d  naUians. 
Then,  indeed,  their  feroci^  bres^ks  out  wi|h  lalmost  de- 
monaical  fury  ;  their  captives  are  generally  doomed  to 
death  ;  but  it  is  not  until  they  have  undergone  the  most 
exquisite  tortures,  the  most  ingenious,  unuttcraUe,  and 
protracted  agony,  that  the  final  blow  is  given.  ThesQ 
atrocious  practices  are  not,  however,  peculiar  to  our 
ui^lettered  Indians.  The  metal  boot  and  wedge,  the 
thumb-screw,  the  rack,  the  gradual  burnings  of  Smith- 
peHf  the  religious  butchery  of  the  bloody  Piedmontese, 
"  who  rolled  mother  with  infant  down  the  rocks,''  the 
dismemberment  by  horses,  "  Luke's  iron  crown,  anc 
\)amien'8  bed  of  steel,"  sufficiently  attest  the  claims  of 
trnlightened  man  to  distinction  in  the  art  of  torture. 
*'  But  the  Five  Nations,"  says  Governor  Clinton,  in  his 
masterly  and  eloquent  discourse,  "notwithstanding  their 
horrible  cruelty,  are  in  one  respect  entitled  to  singular 
commendation  for  the  exercise  of  humanity ;  those  ene- 
mies they  spared  in  battle  they  made  free ;  whereas, 
with  all  other  barl^arous  nations,"  and  he  might  have 
added  ivitb  mpst  civilized  nations,  "  slavery  was  the 
commutation  of  death.  But  it  becomes  not  us,  if  we 
value  the  characters  of  our  forefathers ;  it  becomes  not 
the  civilized  nations  oif  Europe  who  have  had  American 
possessions,  to  inveigh  against  the  merciless  conduct  of 
the  savage.  His  appetite  for  blood  was  sharpened  and 
whetted  by  European  instigation,  and  his  cupidity  was 
enlisted  on  the  side  of  cruelty  by  every  temptation."* 

*  »e  Witt  Clinton's  Discourse,  p.  56. 


^gsaw""* 


-^^ 


^■%: 


INTKODUCTIOIV. 


ID 


*''  Oar  aistll^lii  seeking  for  causes  to  extenuate  ttie  in- 
humanity of  the  Indians,  might  have  said  sdmething  of 
their  natnral  and  just  resentment  of  tlte  aggressions  and 
tyranny  of  the  liian  of  Europe,  by  whom  they  liave 
been  reduced  to  the  lowest  tftate  of  wretchedness.  In  the 
wars  between  France  and  England  and  their  colonies, 
their  Indian  aHiet  were  entitled  to  a  premium  for  every 
H(dp  of  an  efiemy.  In  the  war  preceding  1703,  the  go- 
verttnient  of  Massachtraetts  gave  twelve  pounds  for  eve- 
ry Indian  scalp;  in  that  year  the  premium  was  raised 
to  forty  pdundk,  bftt  in  1722,  it  was  augmented  to  oriQ 
hundred  pounds  t  9.  itiTA  sufficient  to  purchase  a  con- 
siderable extent  of  American  I«p'^.  An  act  was  passed 
on  the  25th  of  February  1745,  by  the  American  colo- 
nial legislattire,  entitled,  ".^n  Act  for  giving  a  reward 
for  sudt  tcalpaf  he,  hcj^  Not- content  with  this  exe- 
crable polliition  of  their  minds  by  the  agency  of  lucre, 
we  have  sown  party  division  among  the  Indians,  which 
in  att  its  discordant  shapes  rages  with  uncontrolled 
sway;  "  Their  nations  are  split  up  into  fragments  ;  the 
son  is  arrayed  against  the  father ;  brother  against  bro- 
ther;  fhmilies  against  families ;  tribes  against  tribes ; 
and  canton  against  canton.  They  are  divided  into  fjnc- 
tions,  reHjAfiou^,  political  and  personal ;  Christian  and 
Pagan  ;  American  and  British ;  the  followers  of  Corn- 
planter  «nd  Sagoua  Ha ;  of  Skonadoi  and  Captain 
Peter.  The  tninilter  of  destruction  is  hovering  over 
them^and  before  thr  passing  away  of  the  present  gene- 
"^ration,  hot  a  single  Iro^^nois  will  be  seen  in  the  sitate  of 
New-York."* 

Tei  with  alt  this  gnilt  at  our  doors  we  call  the  poor 
Iiidians  **  savages,^^barbarians.''  l^'es,  they  hlive,  in* 
diied;^^^^Wnit;  so  since  they  were  debauched  and  cOn- 
^ailMi^^d'l^the  liquor  and  the  example  of  European 
rtjatW^  Our*efe«»,"  says  Heekewelder,  "  have  destroy- 
4^theih^M¥e''^tm  oV(f  swords,"  I  do  not  hesitate  to 
say  that,  in  liiy  opinion,  their  ignorance  of  letters  has 
be^n  th%  only  faihdrfuice  to  thdir  being,  politically 

De  Witt  Cnhtonv  p.  88, 89. 


so 


ufTRODUirrioir. 


'"** 


spf  akiog,  a  most  powerful  people.  With  the  faculty  of 
circulating  and  improving  their  natural  information,  by 
meant  of  literature,  they  would  either  not  have  been 
objccti  for  the  crafty  arts  of  civilised  man,  or  they 
would  have  been  invulnerable  to  themj  and  never  could 
have  been  driven  from  their  territoriei.  Their  courage 
and  warlike  character,  unaided  by  learning,  are  things 
but  of  inferier  force.  "  Knowledge**  sayi  Bacon,  ^  it 
power.*'  How  with  tnch  elementt  of  mind  at  they 
pottett,  they  could,  unlike  other  originally  great  people, 
have  continued  destitute  of  written  wiidora,  mutt  ever 
remain  a  myttery.  Jt  it  thi^  important  want  which 
compels  them  to  endure  their  wrongt  in  ttlerce.  They 
have  no  meant  of  making  their  grievances  known  to  the 
rest  of  the  world  ;  but  must  look  for  intercessors  among 
those  who  have  robbed  and  enslaved  them.  '*  Why 
then,**  I  may  ask  with  the  benign  Heckeweldcr,  **  should 
not  a  white  man,  a  Christian,  who  has  been  treated  by 
them  at  all  times  with  hospitality  and  kindnets,  plead 
their  honest  cause,  and  defend  them  at  they  would  d«-  \ 
fend  themselves,  if  they  had  but  the  means  of  bringing 
their  facts  and  their  arguments  before  an  impartial  pub- 
iief  hetk  not  be  said  that  among  the  whole  race  of 
wliite  Christian  men,  not  one  single  individual  could  be 
found,  who,  rising  above  the  cloud  of  prejudice  with 
which  the  pride  of  civilisation  has  surrounded  the  ori- 
ginal inhabitants  of  this  land,  would  undertake  the  task 
of  doing  justice  to  their  many  excellent  qualities,  and 
raise  a  small  frail  monument  to  their  memory.'*  / 


■  ¥> 


"1> 


fU 


SI 


Ci4' 


^i'miiniilifli"        CHAPTER  II.  ^^ 

INDIAN  ACCOUNT   Or   THE    FIRST   ARRlVAti   OF    TUe^ 
DUTCH   AT   NBW-YORK   ISLAND.  f 


Tbb  following  simple  and  touching  relation  of  this 
important  event,  was  taken  down  many  years  sincefrom 
the  mouth  of  an  intelligeot  Delaware  Indian,  by  Mr. 
Heckewelder,  and  may  be  eonsidered  as  a  correct  ac^ 
count  of  the  tradition  existing  among  them.  It  is  given 
as  much  as  possible  in  their  own  language.  ^'i" 

^'  A  great  many  years  ago,  when  men  with  a  white 
skin  had  never  yet  been  seen  in  this  land,  some  Indians 
who.  were  out  a  fishing  at  a  place  where  the  sea  widens, 
espied  at  a  great  distance  something  remarkably  large 
floating  on  the  water,  and  such  as  they  had  never  seen 
before.  These  Indians  immediately  returning  to  the 
shore,  apprized  their  countrymen  of  what  they  bad  ob- 
served, and  pressed  them  to  go  out  with  them  and  dis- 
cover what  it  might  be.  They  hurried  out  together,^and 
saw  with  astonishment  the  phenomenon  which  now  ap- 
peared to  their  sight,  but  ccpjd  not  agree  upon  what,  it 
was ;  some  believed  it  to  be  an  uncommonly  large  fish 
or  animal,  while  others  were  of  opinion  it  must  be  a 
very  big  house  floating  on  the  sea.  At  length  *he 
spectators  concluded  that  this  wonderful  object  wes 
moving  towards  the  land,  and  that  it  must  be  an  animal 
or  something  else  that  had  life  in  it ;  it  would  therefore 
be  proper  to  inform  all  the  Indians  on  the  inhabited 
islands  of  what  they  had  seen,  and  put  them  on  their 
guard.  Accordingly  they  sent  off  a  number  of  runners 
and 'Watermen  to  carry  the  news  to  their  scattered  chiefs, 
that  they  might  send  off  in  every  direction  for  the  war«^ 
vioq,  with  a  message  that  they  # heuld  come  on  il^me- 

2* 


:\^ 


i  1 


P 


.i 


i4r*^«C*;r' 


»«.liiillllil»(1l^ 


llfDIAK  ACCOUNT  Or  THI 


»,.^ 


dUtely.  ThcM  arriving  in  numberi ,  and  having  them- 
selvei  viewed  the  strange  appearance,  and  observing 
that  it  was  actnally  moving^  towards  the  entrance  of  the 
river  or  bay,  concluded  it  to  be  a  rcnrarkably  large 
house  in  which  the  Mannitto  (the  Great  or  Supreme 
Being)  himself  was  present,  and  that  he  probably  was 
coming  to  visit  them. 

*'  By  this  time  the  chiefs  were  assembled  at  Yo/k 
Island  and  deliberating  as  to  the  manner  in  which  they 
should  receive  their  Mannitto  on  hi|  arrival.  £*'ery 
measure  was  taken  to  be  well  provided  with  plenty  of 
meat  for  a  sacrifice.  The  women  were  desired  to  pre- 
pare the  best  victuals.  All  the  idols  or  images  were 
examined  and  put  in  order,  and  a  grand  dance  was  sup- 
posed not  only  to  be  an  agreeable  entertainment  for  the 
Great  Being,  but  it  was  bielieved  that  it  might,  with,  the 
addition  of  a  sacrifice,  contribute  to  appease  him  if  he 
was  angry  with  them. 

'*The  conjurers  were  also  set  to  work,  to  determine 
what  this  phenomenon  portended,  and  what  the  possible 
result  of  it  might  be.  To  these  and  to  the  chiefs  and 
wise  men  of  the  nations,  men,  women  and  children  were 
looking  up  for  a('"ice  and  protection.  Distracted  be- 
tween hope  and  fear,  they  were  at  a  loss  what  to  do;  a 
dance,  however,  commenced  in  great  confusion. .«., 

**  While  in  this  situation,  fresh  runners  arrived  de- 
cjaring  it  to  be  a  large  house  of  various  colours ;  and 
crowded  wiill  living  creatures.  It  appears  now  to  be 
f;ertain,  that  it  is  the  greaC  Mannitto,  bringing  them 
some  kind  of  game,  such  as  he  had  not  given  them  be- 
fore ;  but  other  runners  soon  after  nrrivinf)  declare  that 
it  is  positively  a  house  full  of  human  beings-,  of  quite  a 
different  colour  from  that  of  the  Indians,  and  dressed 
differently  from  them ;  that  in  particular  one  of  them 
was  dressed  entirely  in  red,  who  must  be  the  Mannitto 
himself.  They  are  hailed  from  the  vessel  in  a  lan- 
guage they  do  hot  understand ;  yeV  they  shout  or  yell 
ill  return  by  way  of  answer,  according  to  the  custom  of 
their  country.  Many  are  for  running  off  to  the  woods, 
but  are  pressed  by  others  to  stay,  in  order  not  to  give 


^..=4',> 


riMUT   ABftlTAL  OF   THE   DUTCH. 


offence  to  their  viiiter,  who  might  find  them  out  and 
deitroy  them.  The  house,  some  %uy,  large  canoe,  at 
latt  ttopi,  and  a  canoe  of  a  imaller  stie  comet  on  ihore 
with  tlie  red  man  and  some  others  in  it$  some  stay  with 
his  canoe  to  guard  it. 

"  The  chiefs  and  wise  men,  assembled  in  council  form 
themselves  into  a  large  circle,  towards  which  the  ma» 
in  red  clothes  approaches  with  two  others.     He  sa- 
lutes them  with  a  friendly  countenance,  and  they  return 
the  salute  after  their  manner.     They  are  lost  in  admi- 
ration ;   the  dress,  the  manners,   the  whole  appearance 
of  the  unknown  strangers  is  to  them  a  subject  of  won- 
der; but  they  are   particularly  struck  with  him  who 
wore  the  red  coat   all  glittering  with  gold  lace,  which 
they  could  in  no  manner  account  for.     He,  surely,  must 
be  the  great  Mannitto,  but  why  should  he  have  a  white 
skin?      Meanwhile,  a  large  Hackhack*  is  brought  bj 
one  of  his  servants,  from  which  an  unknown  substanc< 
is  poured  out  into  a  small  cup  or  glass,  and  handed  ti> 
the  supposed  Mannitto.      He   drink»— has    the  glasi 
filled  again,  and  hands  it  to  the  chief  standing  next  t( 
him.     The  chief  receives  it^  but  only  smells  the  con 
tents  and  passes  it  on  to  the  next  chief,  who  does  the  same 
The  glass  or  cup  thiA  passes  through  the  circle,  with- 
out  the  liquor  being  tasted  by  any  one,  and  is  upon  thi 
point  of  being  returned  to  the  red-clothed  Mannitto 
when  one  of  the  Indians,  a  brave  mcu   and  a  grcar 
warrior,  suddenly  jumps  up  and  harangues  the  assem* 
biy  on  the  impropriety  of  returning  the  cup  with  its 
contents.      It  wa«  handed   to  them,  says  he,  by  the 
Mannitto,  that  they  should  drink  out  of  it,  as  he  him- 
self had   done.     To    follow   his   example  would  be 
pleasing  to  him ;  but  to  return  what  he  had  given  them 
might  provoke  his  wrath,  and  bring  destruction  on 
them.    And  since  the  orator  believed  i^  for  the  good  of 
the  nation  that  the  contents  offered   them   should  be 
drank,  and  as  no  one  else  would  do  it,  he  would  drink 


t 


*  Hackhsck  is  proparly  a  gourd,  but  since  they  hare  nen  (Itss  b«t< 
tl«s  and  dtcanteri,  they  call  them  by  the  lame  name. 


^>««-'' 


.. — <; 


24 


J«iif3DU9  ACOOUKT  Ot  lUtm* 


It  himi^V'^c  ^«  coi»e<pieQce  be  what  it  might;  it  Was 
bejtor  for  one  mwi  todiei  than  that  a  whole  nation 
shottldbe  4ettroyed.  He  then  took  the  glafs,  and  bid- 
ding the  assembly  a  solemn  fertwell,  at  once  drank  up 
its  wbote  contents.  Every  eye  was  fixed  on  the  reso- 
tute  chief,  to  see  what  effect  the  unluipwn  liquor  wotiM 
produce.  He  soon  began  to  staggi^,  and  at  last  fell 
prostrate  on  the  grounds '  His  companions  now  be- 
moaned his  late,  be  falls  into  a  sound  sleep,  and  they 
think  he  has  expired.  He  wakes  again,  jurops^  up  and 
declares,  that  he  has  enjoyed  the  most  delicious  sensa- 
tions, and  that  he  never  before  felt  himself  so  happy  as 
after  be  had  drunk  the  cup.  He  asks  for  more,  his 
fvUb  is  granted;  the  whole  assembly  then  imitate  him, 
and  all  become  intoxicated. 

"  After  this  general  intoxication  bad  ceased,  (fdr  they 
3ay  that  while  it  lasted  th.  whites  had  confined  them> 
selves  to  their  vessel,)  the  man  with  the  red  clothes  re- 
turned again,  and  distributed   presents  among  them 


consistiig  of  beads,  axes,  hoes  and  stockings,  such  as 
the  white  people  wear.  They  soon  became  familiar 
with  each  other,  and  began  to  converse  by  signs.     The 


/ 


I)utch  made  them  understand  that  they  would  not  stay 
here,  that  they  would  return  l^rae  again,  but  would 
pay  them  another  visit  the  next  year,  when  they  would 
bring  them  more  presents^  and  stay  with  them  awhile^ 
but  as  they  could  not  live  without  eating,  they  should 
want  a  little  land  of  them  to  jsow  seeds,  in  order  to  raise 
herbs  and  vegetables  to  put  into  their  broths  They 
went  away  as  they  had  said,  and  returned  in  the  fol- 
lowing season,  when  both  parties  were  much  rejoiced 
to  see  each  other ;  but  the  whites  laughed  at  the  Indians, 
seeing  that  they  knew  not  the  us^  of  the  axes  and  hoes 
they  had  given  them  the  year  before ;  for  they  had 
these  hanging  to  their  breasts  as  ornaments,  and  the 
stockings  were  made  use  of  as  tobacco  pouches.  The 
whites  now  put  handles  to  the  former  ibr  them,  and  cut 
trees  down  before  their  eyes,  Iwed  up  the  ground,  and 
put  the  stockings  oa  their  legs.  Here,  they  say,  a 
general  laughter  ensued  amoug  the  Indinns,  tllat  they 


■-*-ir-f 


WlKtt  AMMlVAh  OF   TUB   I^VTCU. 


25 


had  remained  ignorat  of  the  uie  of  such  valuable  im- 
plementftr  aad  had  borne  the  weight  of  such  heavy 
metal  haogmg  to  their  necks,  for  such  a  length  of  time. 
They  took  every,  white  man-  they  ^aw  for  an  inferior 
Mannitto,  attendant  on  the_  supreme  Deity  wno  shone 
superior  in  the  red  and  laced  clotheg.  As  the  whites 
became  daily:  more  familiar  with  the  Indians,  they  at 
last  proposeU^  to  stay  with  them,  and  asked  only  for  so 
much  ground  foi'  a  garden  spot  as,  they  said,  the  hide 
of  a  bullock  would  cover  or  encompass,  which  hide 
was  spread  before  them.  The  Indians  readily  granted 
tins  apparency  reasonable  request;  but  the  whites  then 
took  a  knile  and  beginning  at  one  end  of  the  hide,  cut 
it  up  toa  long  rope,  not  thicker  than  a  child's  finger, 
so  that  by  the  time  the  whole. was  r.ut  np,  itmede  a 
great  heap  ;^  they  then  took  the  rope  at  one  end,  and 
drew  it  gently  along,  carefuliy  avoiding  its  breaking. 
It  was  drawn  out  into  a  circular  form,  and  being 
closed  at  its  ends^  encompassed  a  large  piece  of 
grounds  The  lodiaac  were  surprised  at  the  superior 
wit  of  the  whites,^  but  did  not  wish  to  contend  with 
them  about  a  little  land,  a^  they,  had  still  enough  them- 
selves. The  white  and  red  men  lived  contentedly 
together  for  along  ^me,  though  the  former  from  time^ 
to  time  asked  for  more  land,  which  was  readily  obtained, 
and  thus  they  gradually  proceeded  higher  up  the 
Mahicanittuck,  until  the  Indians  began  to  believe  that 
they  would  soon  want  all  their  country,  which  in  the 
end  proved  true." 

•    ■  . 

*  Tbeie  Dotehmen  were  probably  aeqnaipted  with  what  is  relaleit 
of  Queen  Dido  in  ancient  history,  and  thus  turned  their  classical 
knoWlecl^e  to  a  good  aoobnct. 


M 


; 


bS-l,; 


26 


i:;,   ■^it-r^r^i.^k'^y-^  ~'iMk^ 


CHAPTER  III. 


INDIAN    RELATIONS    OF    THE    CONDUCT    OF    EUROPEANS 


TOWARDS   THEM. 


-m 


Long  and  dismal,  says  the  revereqd  author*,  whpse 
wofk  1  have  so  often  alludecl  to,  are  the  cojnpHaints 
which  the  Indians  make  of  European  ingra^titude  and 
injustice.  They  love  to  repeat  them,  and  always  do  it 
with  the  eloquence  of  nature,  ?tide<i  l>y  an  energetic  and 
comprehensive  language,  which'  our  polished  idioms 
cannot  inaitate.  Ouen  1  have  listened  to  these  descrip- 
tions of  their  hard  sufferings,  iintil  I  felt  ashamed  of 
being  a  white  man. 

They  aie,  in  general,  very  minute  in  these  recitals, 
and  proceed  with  a  great  degree  o^  order  and  regular* 
ity.  They  beg;in  with  the  Virginians,  wtiom  they  call 
the  long  knives,  ^d  who  were  the  first  European  set- 
tlers in  this  part  of  the  American  contine;nt.  "  It  was 
we,"  say  the  Lenape,  Mohicans,  and  their  kindred 
tinhei,  *'  who  so  kindly  received  them  on  their  first  ar- 
rival into  our  country.  We  took  them  by  the  hRnd, 
and  bid  them  welcome  to  sit  down  by  our  sidle,  qiid  live 
with  OS  as  brothers;  but  how  did  th^y  reqqite  our 
kindness  ?  They  at  first  asked  only  for  a  liufe  land  on 
which  to  raise  bread  for  themselvet  and  their  families, 
and  pasture  for  tbeir  cattle,  which  we  freely  gave  them. 
They  soon  wanted  more,  which  we  r!so  gave  dfciem. 
They  saw  the  game  in  the  woods,  which  the  Great  Spi- 
rit had  given  us  for  our  subsistence,  and  they  wanted 
that  too.  They  penetrated  into  the  woods,  in  quest  of 
game,  they  discovered  spots  of  land  whi^  pleased 

*  n«ckewekl«r,  from  whpte  work  this  and  the  tonffmag  c  i<aptiQr 
«r«  extracted.  I  have  had  the  lew  icruple  in  uring  them,  bw^.UM  Uie 
twodiapten  are  in  thflmielves  nothing  more  than  a  c<mc«ntiatkm  o( 
the  different  traditioBi  which  are  floating  up  and  down  among  the  hic* 
diastribes. 


INDIAN  RiSLATIONSj  &£C. 


S7 


OPEANS 


whpse 

udc;  and 
ys  dp  it 
etlc  and 
i  idioms 
descrip-* 
amed  of 

recitals, 
regular^ 
ihey  call 
)ean  set- 
"  It  was 
kindred 
%^  ar- 
ic  hand, 
and  live 
Qite  our 
;  lanii  on 
families, 
kve  them. 

ve  i|iem* 
reat  ^pi- 
y  wanted 
I  quest  of 
I  pleased 

iag  rltapter 
bM^.UMthe 
•tittatkin  o( 
iQBgthciiac' 


them ;  that  land  they  also  wanted,  and  bee&me  #i  %et'e 
toth  to  part  with  it,  as  we  saw  they  had  already  more 
than  they  had  need  of,  they  took  it  from  us  by  force 
and  drove  us  to  a  great  distance  from  oui^  ancient 
homes. 

"  By  and  by  the  Duichenutan*  arrived  at  ManahacJi- 
tanienkf**-\  (here  they  relate  with  all  its  details  what 
has  been  said  in  the  preceding  chapter.)  **  The  great 
man  wanted  only  a  little,  little  land,  on  which  to  raise 
greens  for  bis  soup,  just  as  much  as  a  bulicck's  hide 
%vould  cover.  Here  we  first  might  have  observed  their 
deceitful  spirit.  The  bullock's  hide  was  cut  up  into 
little  strips,  and  did  not  cover,  indeed,  but  encircled  a 
very  large  piece  of  land,  which  we  foolishly  granted  to 
them.  They  were  to  raise  greens  on  it,  instead  of 
which  they  planted  great  guns;  afterwards  they  built 
strong  houses,  made  themselves  masters  of  the  island, 
then  went  up  the  river  to  our  enemies,  the  Mengwe, 
made  a  league  with  them,  persuaded  us  by  their  wick- 
ed arts  to  lay  down  our  arms,  and  at  last  drove  us  en- 
tirely out  of  the  country. 

"  When  the  Yengeesej[.  arrived  at  Machtitschwanne,^ 
they  looked  about  every  where  for  good  spots  of  land, 
and  when  they  found  one  they  immediately  and  without 
ceremony  possessed  themselves  of  it ;  we  were  aston- 
ished, but  still  we  let  them  go  on,  not  thinking  it  worth 
while  to  contend  for  a  little  land.  But  when  at  last 
they  cume  to  our  favourite  spots,  those  which  lay  most 
convenient  to  our  fisheries,  then  bloody  wars  ensued  ; 
we  would  have  been  contented  that  the  white  people 
and  we  should  have  lived  qwietly  beside  encli  other ; 
but  these  white  men  encroached  so  fast  upon  us,  that 

*  The  Hollanders.  t  Manhattan,  or  Nev- York  Island. 

X  An  Indian  corruption  of  the  word  English,  whence  probably  the 
nickname  Yankees. 

5  This  word  means  "  a  cluster  of  islands  with  channels  every  way, 
so  that  it  is  in  no  place  shut  up  or  impassable  for  craft."  The  Indians 
think  that  the  white  people  have  corrupted  this  word  into  Massachw- 
setts.  It  deserves  to  be  remarked  as  an  example  of  the  comprehen- 
siveness ef  the  Indian  languages. 


t'i 


liMiiyiniii 


riiBir'iivff 


W 


a? 


INDIAK  EBLATIOlfB    OV  TRB 


P  ! 


we  Mw  at  once  we  skonld  lose  ailyif  we  did  iroi  resist 
them.  The  wars  that  we  carried  on  against  eacb  other 
were  long  artd  cruel.  We  were  enraged  when  we  saw 
the  wlute  people  put  our  friends  and  relatives  whom 
they  had  taken  prisoners  on  board  of  their  ships^  and 
carry  them  off  to  sea,  whether  to  drown  or  Sell  ^m 
as  slaves,  in  the  country  from  which  they  came,  we  knew 
not,  but  certain  it  is  that  none  of  them  have^ver  re- 
turned or  even  been  heard  of.  At  last  they  got  posses- 
sion of  the  whole  of  the  country  which  the  Great 
Spirit  had  given  us.  One  of  our  iribes  was  forced  to 
wander  far  beyc  id  Quebec  ;  Others  dispersed  in  small 
bodies,  and  sought  places*  of  refuge  where  they  could ; 
some  came  to  Pennsylvania ;  others  veent  far  to  the 
westward  and  mingled  with  other  tribes. 

**To  many  of  those,  Pennsylvania  was  a  last,  delight- 
ful asylum.  But  here,  again,  the  Europeans  disturb- 
ed them,  and  forced  them  to  emigrate,  although  they 
had  been  most  kindly  and  hospitably  received.  On 
which  ever  side  of  the  Lenapewikittuek*  the  white 
people  landed,  they  were  welcomed  as  brothers  by  our 
ancestors,  who  gave  them  lands  to  live  on,  and  even 
hunted  for  tbem,  und  furnished  them  with  meat  out  of 
the  woods.  Such  was  our  conduct  to  the  white  nien,f 
who  inhabited  this  country,  until  our  elder  brother,  the 
great  and  good  1V]iquon,|  came  and  brought  us  words 
of  peace  and  good  will.  We  belieWd  his  words,  and 
his  memory  is  still  held  in  veneratioa  among  us.  But 
it  was  not  long  before  our  joy  was  turned  into  sorrow  : 
our  brother  IVIiquon  died,  and  those  of  his  good  coun- 
sellors who  were  of  his  mind,  and  knew  what  h-iu  pas- 
sed between  him  and  our  ancestors,  were  no  longer 
listened  to  jvthe  strangers,*^  who  had  taken  their  places, 
no  longer  spoke  to  ns  of  sitting  down  by  the  side  of 
each  other  as  brothers  of  one  family ;  they  forgot  that 
friendship  which  their  great  man  had  established  with 
lis,  and  was  to  last  to  the  end  of  time  ;  they  now  only 


*  Ti»3  Delavraro  river.  t  The  Swedes  and  Dutch. 

t  William  l*enn.  J  Tjand 'raders  and  speculntoM 


CONDUCT  OV  TBE  EUROPEANS. 


29 


iti'ove  to  get  all  our  land  from  us  by  fraud  or  by  force, 
and  when  we  attempted  to  remind  them  of  what  our 
good  brother  had  said,  they  became  angry,  and  sent 
word  to  our  enemies  the  Mengwe,  to  meet  them  at  a 
great  council  which  they  were  to  hold  with  us  at  La- 
hauwakey*  where  they  should  take  us  by  the  hair  of 
our  heads,  and  shake  us  well.  The  Mengwe  came,  the 
council  was  held,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  white  men, 
who  did  not  contradict  them,  they  told  us  that  we  were 
women,  and  that  they  had  mad"?  us  such  ;  that  we  had 
no  right  to  any  land,  bacause  it  was  all  theirs ;  that 
we  must  be  gone  ;  and  that  as  a  gre  .1  favour  they  per- 
mitted us  to  go  and  settle  farther  into  the  country,  at 
the  place  which  they  themselves  pointed  out  at  Wyo- 
ming."! 

Thus  tliese  good  Indians,  with  a  kind  of  melancholy 
pleasure,  recite  the  long  history  of  their  sufferings. 
After  having  gone  through  these  painful  details,  they 
seldom  fail  to  indulge  in  bitter,  bu;  too  just  reflections 
upon  the  men  of  Europe.  '^  We  and  our  kindred 
tribes,"  say  they,  "  lived  in  peace  and  harmony  with 
each  other,  before  the  white  people  came  into  this 
country  ;  our  council  house|  extended  far  to  the  north 
and  Tar  to  the  south.  In  the  middle  of  it  we  would 
meet  from  all  parts  to  smoke  the  pipe  of  peace  to- 
gether. When  the  white  men  arrived  in  the  south, 
we  received  them  as  friends ;  we  did  the  same  when 
they  arrived  in  the  east.  It  was  we,  it  was  our 
forefathers,  who  made  them  welcome,  and  let  them  sit 
down  by  our  side.  The  land  they  settled  on  was  ours. 
We  knew  not  but  the  Great  Spirit  had  sent  them  to  us 
for  some  good  purpose,  and  therefore  we  thought  they 
must  be  a  good  people.  We  were  mistaken ;  for  no 
sooner  had  they  obtained  a  footing  on  our  lands,  than 

*  Easton. 

t  This  actually  took  place  at  a  treaty  held  at  Easton,  in  July  and 
November,  1756. 
X  Council  house  here  nqieans,  ♦'  Connexion  District." 
VOL.  I.  *^  3 


\ 


vi 

m 


•'*x 


i■<to*!^^,ViK5.^. 


■>««-^  v 


•*  *l     .1.  II  .  1l    , 


30 


INDIAN   RELATIONS    OF    THE 


they  began  to  pull  our  council  house  down*  first  at  one 
end  and  then  at  the  other,  and  at  last  meeting  each 
other  at  the  centre,  vvhere  the  council  fire  was  yet 
burning  bright,  they  put  it  out,f  and  extinguished  it 
with  our  own  blood  !  J  with  the  blood  of  those^  who 
with  us  had  received  them  !  who  had  welcomed  them 
in  our  land  !  Their  blood  ran  in  streams  into  our  fire, 
and  extinguished  it  so  entirely,  that  not  one  spark  was 
left  us  whereby  to  kindle  a  new  fire  ;{|  we  were  com- 
pelled to  withdraw  ourselves  beyond  the  great  swarop,11 
and  to  fly  to  our  good  uncle,  the  Lelamattenos**  who 
kindly  gave  us  a  tract  of  land  to  live  on.  fiow  long 
we  shall  be  permitted  to  remain  in  this  asylum,  the 
Great  Spirit  only  knows.  The  whites  will  not  rest 
contented  until  they  shall  have  destroyed  the  last  of  us, 
and  made  us  disappear  entirely  from  4he  face  of  the 
earth." 
.    I  have  given  here  only  a  brief  specimen  of  the  char- 


*  Pulling  thp  council  house  down.  Destroying,  dispersing  the  com- 
munitv,  preventing  theirlfarther  intercourse  with  each  other,  by  8«t- 
tling  between  them  on  their  land. 

t  Putting  the  Jire  out.  Murdering  them  or  their  people,  wnere 
they  assemble  for  pacific  purposes,  where  treaties  art  held,  &c. 

\  Our  own  blood.  The  blood  flowing  from  the  veins  of  some  of  our 
community. 

(  Alluding  to  the  murder  of  the  Conestogo  Indiana,  who  though  of 
another  tribe,  yet  had  joined  'them  in  welcoming  the  white  people  to 
their  shores.  * 

In  a  narrative  of  this  lamentable  event,  supposed  tq  bn^i^een  writ- 
ten by  the  late  Dr.  Franklin,  it  is  said:  "On  the  first„fiwival  of  the 
English  in  Pennsylvania,  messengers  from  this  tribe  came  to  welcome 
them  with  presents  of  venison,  corn  and  skins,  and  the  who!?  tribe  en- 
tered into  a  treaty  of  fiiendship  with  the  first  proprietor,; William 
Penn,  which  was  to  last  as  long  as  the  sun  should  shine,  or  the  waters 
run  m  the  rivers." 

II  The  fire  was  entirely  extinguished  by  the  blood  of  the  murdered 
T' inning  into  it ;  not  a  spark  was  left  to  kindle  a  new  fire.  This  alludes 
1o  the  last  fire  that  was  kindled  by  the  Pennsylvaniaii  government  and 
themselves  at  Lancaster,  where  the  last  treaty  was  held  with  them  in 
1762,  the  year  preceding  this  murder,  which  put  an  end  to  all  business 
of  the  kind  in  the  province  of  Pennsylvania. 

IT  The  great  Swamp.     The  Glades  on  the  Allegheny  mountains. 

**  Delamattenos.  The  Huron  or  Wyandots,  whom  they  cull  their 
uncle.  These,  though  speaking  a  dialect  of  the  Iroquois  language, 
are  in  connection  with  the  Lenape. 


.  ,.  ,«,^>rfcj,^'»«a.  /■-. 


.^-^ 


■if^' 


\' 


CONDUCT  OF  THE  EUROPDANS. 


31 


s  language, 


gfies  which  they  exhibit  against  the  white  people.  There 
are  men  'imon^  them  who  hf»ve  by  heart  the  whole  his- 
tory of  what  took  ,  'ace  between  the  whites  and  the  In- 
dians, since  the  forme,  first  came  into  their  country ; 
and  relate  the  whole  with  ease  and  with  an  eloquence 
not  to  be  imitated.  On  the  tablets  of  their  memories 
they  preserve  this  record  for  posterity.  1,  nt  one  time, 
in  AprrI  1787,  was  astonished  when  I  heard  one  of 
their  orators,  a  ^reat  chief  of  the  Delaware  nation,  go 
over  this  (ground,  recapitulating  the  most  extraordinary 
events  which  had  before  happened,  and  concluding  in 
these  words  :  *'  I  admit  there  are  good  white  men,  but 
they  bear  no  proportion  to  the  bad  ;  the  bad  must  be 
the  strontiest,  for  they  rule.  They  do  what  they  please. 
They  enslave  those  who  are  not  of  their  colour,  al- 
though created  by  the  same  Great  Spirit  who  created 
us.  They  would  make  slaves  of  us  if  they  could,  but 
as  they  cannot  do  it,  they  kill  us!  There  is  no  faith 
to  be  placed  in  their  words.  They  are  not  like  the  In- 
dians, who  are  only  enemies  while  at  war,  and  are 
friends  in  peace.  They  will  say  to  an  Indian,  *  My 
friend  !  my  brother !'  They  wUl  take  him  by  the  hand, 
and  at  the  same  moment  dest  jy  him.  And  so  you" 
(addressing  himself  to  the  Christian  Indians)  "  will  also 
be  treated  by  them  before  long.  Remember  !  that  this 
day  I  have  warned  you  to  beware  of  such  friends  as 
these.  JL  know  the  long  knives;  they  ai;e  not  to  be 
trusted." 

Eleven  months  after  this  speech  was  delivered  by 
this  prophetic  chief,  ninety-six  of  the  same  ChristisAi, 
Indians,  about  sixty  of  them  women  and  children,  were 
murdered  at  the  place  where  these  very  w^ords  had  been 
spokeki,  by  the  same  men  he  had  alluded  to,  and  in  the 
same  manner*  that,  he  had  described.  See  LoskiePs 
History,  Part  III.  ch.  10. 


iS' 


'« 


.ti 


"fmmmm 


.^^2«ff!^: 


33 


> 


CHAPTER  IV. 

'.   fVIDENCES  OF  GENERAL  CAPACITY  AND  TRUE  CON- 
^  CEPTION  OF  COURTESY  AMONG  THE  PRESENT 

INDIANS. 

In  the  summer  of  1819,  during  the  yellow  fever  at 
New- York,  I  took  a  tour,  accompanied  by  two  of  ray 
daughters,  and  a  gentleman,  to  the  Falls  of  Niagara, 
and  throui^h  a  considerable  part  of  Upper  Canada. 
After  stopping  more  than  a  week  under  the  truly  hos- 
pitable roof  of  the  Honourable  Colonel  Clarke,  at  the 
Falls,  I  determined  to  proceed  by  land  round  Lake  On- 
tario, to  York ;  and  Mrs.  Clarke  offtred  to  give  my 
daughters  a  letter  of  introduction  to  a  Miss  Brandt, 
advising  us  to  arrange  our  time  so  as  to  sleep  and  stop 
a  day  or  two  in  the  house  of  that  lady,  as  she  was  cer- 
tain we  should  be  much  pleased  with  her  and  her  bro- 
ther. Our  friend  did  not  intimate,  still  less  did  we  sus- 
pect, that  the  introduction  was  to  an  Indian  Prince  and 
Princess.  Had  we  been  in  the  least  aware  of  this,  our 
previous^  arrangements  would  )tll  have  given  way,  as 
there  was  nothing  I  was  more  anxious  to  obtain  than 
an  opportunity,  such  as  this  was  so  well  calculated  to 
afford,  of  seeing  in  what  degree  the  Indian  character 
would  be  modified  by  a  conformity  to  the  habits  and 
Comforts  of  civilized  life. 

Proceeding  on  our  journey,  we  stopped  at  an  inn,  ro- 
mantically situated,  where  I  determined  to  remain  all 
night.  Among  other  things  I  inquired  of  the  landlord 
if  he  knew  the  distance  to  Miss  Brandt's  bouse,  and 
from  him  I  learned  that  it  was  about  twenty  miles  off. 
He  added  that  yolbpcr  Mr.  Brandt  had  passed  that  way 
in  the  morning,  and  would,  no  doubt,  be  returning  in  the 
evening,  and  that  if  I  wished  it,  he  would  be  on  the  look 


\i:^^i'<m:m*"- 


EVIDENCES  OF  GENERAL  CAPACfTY,  hc. 


33 


uut  for  him.  This  I  desired  (he  landlord  to  do,  as  it 
would  enable  rae  to  iiriiriute  our  introduction  to  his 
lister,  and  intention  of  waiting  on  her  the  next  morning. 

At  dusk  Mr.  Brandt  returned,  and  being  introduced 
into  our  room,  we  were  unable  to  distinguish  his  colour, 
and  conversed  with  him,  believing  him  to  be  »  young  Ca- 
nadian gentleman.  We  did  not,  however,  fail  to  observe 
a  certain  degree  ol  hesitation  and  reserve  in  the  manner  of 
his  speech.  Ho  certainly  expressed  a  wish  that  we  would 
do  him  and  his  sister  the  favour  of  spending  a  few  days 
with  them  in  order  to  refresh  ourselves  and  our  horses  ; 
but  we  thought  his  style  more  laconic  than  hospitable. 
Before  candles  were  brought  in,  our  new  friend  depart- 
ed, leaving  us-  still  in  error  af>  to  his  nation  and  colour. 

By  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  we  resumed  our 
journey.  On  arriving  at  the  magnificent  shores  of  Lake 
Ontario,  the  driver  of  our  carriage  pointed  out  at  the 
distance  of  five  miles,  the  house  of  Miss  Brandt,  which 
had  a  very  noble  and  commanding  aspect ;  and  we  an- 
ticipated much  pleasure  in  our  visit ;  as  beside  the  en- 
joyment of  so  beautiful  a  spot,  we  should  be  enabled  to 
form  a  competent  idea  of  Canadian  manners  and  style 
of  living.  Young  Mr.  Brandt,  it  appeared,  unaware 
that  with  our  carriage  we  could  have  reached  his  house 


so    soon,    had   not 
approach    was    not 


arrived  before    us ;  so  that    our 
announced  ;  and    we  -drove    up 


to  the  door  under  the  full  persuasion  that  the  family 
would  be  apprised  of  our  coming.  ^The  outer  door, 
leadin*^  to  a  spacious  hall,  was  open.  1  We  entered, 
and  remained  a  few  minutes,  when  seeing  no  person 
about,  we  proceeded  into  the  parlour,  which,  like  the 
hall,  had  no  body  in  it.  We,  therefore,  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  looking  about  us  at  our  leisure.  It  was  a  room 
well  furnished  with  a  carpet,  pier  and  chimney  glases, 
mahogany  tables,  fashionable  chairs,  a  guitar,  a  neat 
hanging  book-case,  in  which,  among  other  volumes,  we 
perceived  a  church  of  England  prayer-book,  translated 
into  the  Mohawk  tongue,  and  several  small  elementary 
works.     Having  sent  our  note  of  introduction  in  by  the 

3*^ 


ll 


( 


Xi 


^^ 


64 


ZVIDINCES  or  SEMKHAL  CAPACITY 


coachman,  and  still  no  person  waiting  on  us,  we  began 
to  suspect,  (more  especially  in  the  hungry  state  we 
were  all  in,)  that  some  delay  or  difficulty  about  break- 
fast stood  in  the  way  of  the  young  lady's  appearance. 
Various  were  our  conjectures,  and  momentarily  did  our 
hunger  seem  to  gain  rapid  strides  upon  us.  I  can  as- 
sure my  readers  that  a  keen  morning's  ride  on  the 
shores  of  an  American  lake,  is  a  thing  of  all  others  calo- 
culated  to  make  tile  appetite  clamorous,  if  not  inso- 
lent. We  had  already  penetrated  into  the  parlour  ; 
and  were  beginning  to  meditate  a  further  exploration 
in  search  of  the  pantry,  when  to  our  unspeakable  asto- 
nishment, in  walked  a  charming,  noole-looking  Indian 
girl,  dressed  partly  in  the  native,  and  partly  in  the 
English  costume.  Her  hair  was  confined  on  the  head 
in  a  silk  net,  but  the  lower  tresses,  escaping  from  thence, 
flowed  down  on  her  shoulders.  Under  a  tunic  or  morn- 
ing dress  of  black  silk,  was  a  pettioat  of  the  same  ma- 
terial and  colour,  which  reached  very  little  below  the 
knees.  Her  silk  stockings  and  kid  shoes  were,  like  the 
rest  of  her  dress,  black.  The  grace  and  dignity  of  her 
EDOvement,  the  style  of  her  dress  and  manner,  so  new, 
so  unexpected,  filled  us  all  with  astonishment.  With  great 
w  ?,  yet  by  no  means  in  that  common-place  mode  so 
generally  prevalent  on  such  occasions,  she  inquired  how 
we  had  found  the  roads,  accommodation,  &;c.  No  flut- 
ter was  at  all  apparent  on  account  of  the  delay  in  get- 
ting breakfast ;  no  fidgeting  and  fuss-making,  no  run- 
ning in  and  out,  no  idle  expressions  of  r  gret,  such  as, 
"  O,  dear  me  !  had  I  known  of  your  coming,  you  would 
not  have  been  kept  in  this  way  ;"  but  with  perfect  ease 
she  maintained  the  conversation,  until  a  Squaw,*  wear- 
ing a  man's  hat,  brought  in  a  tray  with  preparations  for 
breakfast.  A  table-cloth  of  fine  white  damask  being 
laid,  we  were  regaled  with  tea,  cofiee,  hot-rolls,  butter 
in  water  and  ice-coolers,  eggs,  smoked-beef  and  ham, 
broiled  chickens,  &lc.  ;  all  served  in  a  truly  neat  and 


*  The  name  of  all  Indian  women. 


4MONO  THE  INDIANS. 


96 


comfortable  style.  The  delay,  we  afterwards  discover- 
ed, arose  from  the  desire  of  our  hostess  to  supply  us 
with  hot  rolls,  which  were  actually  baked  while  we 
waited.  1  have  been  thus  minute  in  my  description  of 
these  comforts,  as  they  were  so  little  to  be  expected  in 
the  house  of  rin  Indian. 

After  breakfast.  Miss  Brandt,  as  we  must  still  call 
her,  took  my  daughters  out  to  walk,  and  look  at  the 
picturesque  scenery  of  the  country.  She  and  her  bro- 
ther had  previously  expressed  a  hope  that  we  would 
stay  all  day  ;  but  though  1  wished  o.f  all  things  to  do 
so,  and  had  determined,  in  the  event  of  their  pressing 
their  invitation,  to  accept  it,  yet  I  declined  the  propo- 
sal at  first,  and  thus  forfeited  a  pleasure  which  we  all 
of  us  longed  in  our  hearts  to  enjoy  ;  for,  as  I  have  af- 
terwards learned,  it  is  not  the  custom  of  any  uncor- 
rupted  Indian  to  repeat  a  request  if  once  rejected.  They 
believe  that  those  to  whom  they  offer  any  mark  of 
friendship,  and  who  give  a  reason  for  refusing  it,  do  so 
in  perfect  sincerity,  and  that  it  would  be  rudeness  to 
require  them  to  alter  their  determination,  or  break  their 
word.  And  as  the  Indian  never  makes  a  show  of  civi- 
lity, but  when  prompted  by  a  genuine  feeling,  so  he 
thinks  others  are  actuated  by  similar  candour.  1  really 
feel  ashamed  when  1  consider  how  severe  a  rebuke  this 
carries  with  it  to  us  who  boast  of  civilization,  but  who 
are  so  much  carried  away  by  the  general  insincerity  of 
expression  pervading  all  ranks,  that  few  indeed  are  to 
be  found  who  speak  just  what  they  wish  or  know.  This 
duplicity  is  the  effect  of  what  is  termed  a  high  state  of 
refinement.  We  are  taught  so  to  conduct  our  language, 
that  others  cannot  discover  our  real  views  or  intentions. 
The  Indians  are  not  only  free  from  this  deceitfulness, 
but  surpass  us  in  another  instance  of  true  goodrbreed- 
ing  and  decorum,  namely,  of  never  interrupting  those 
who  converse  with  them,  until  they  have  done  speak- 
ing ;  and  then  they  reply  in  the  hope  of  not  being  them- 
selves interrupted.  This  was  perfectly  exemplified  by 
Miss  Brandt  and  her  brother ;  and  I  hope  the  lesson  my 


"'••'-'laiitn-- 


•i^^S^J^}^- 


36 


BVIDENCES  or  GENERAL  CAPACITT 


(laugliters  were  so  forcibly  laii^^lil  by  ihe  natural  po- 
liteness of  their  hostess,  will  never  be  forgotten  by  ihem, 
and  that  1  also  may  profit  by  the  example. 

After  stopping  a  few  hours  with  iliese  interesting 
young  Indians,  and  givinj^  llieni  an  invitaiion  to  (ay  lis 
a  visit  at  New- York,  which  iliey  expressed  threat  desire 
to  fulfil,  and  which  I  therefore  confidently  anticipate, 
we  took  onr  leave  with  real  regret  on  all  sides  As  we 
passed  through  the  hall,  I  expected  to  see  some  Indian 
instruments  of  war  or  the  chase ;  but  perceiving  that 
the  walls  were  bare  of  these  customary  ornaments,  I 
asked  Mr.  Brandt  where  all  the  trophies  were  that  be- 
longed to  his  lamily  ?  He  told  me,  and  I  record  it  with 
shame,  that  the  numerous  visiters  that  from  time  to  time 
called  on  him,  expressed  their  desire  so  strongly  for 
these  trophies,  that  one  by  one  he  had  given  all  away ; 
and  now  he  was  exempt  from  these  sacrifices,  by  not 
having  any  thing  of  the  kind  left.  He  seemed,  never- 
theless, to  cherish  with  fondness  the  memory  of  these 
relics  of  his  forefathers.  How  ill  did  the  civilized  vi- 
siters requite  the  hospitality  they  experienced  under  the 
roof  whose  doors  stand  open  to  shelter  and  feed  all 
who  enter ! 

As  all  about  our  youn^!:  hostess  is  interesting,  I  will 
add  some  farther  particulars.  Having  inquired  for  her 
mother,  she  told  me  she  remained  generally  with  her 
other  sons  and  daughters,  who  were  living  in  the  Indian 
settlement  on  the  iGrrand  River  that  falls  into  Lakt 
Erie :  that  her  mother  preferred  'jemg  in  the  Wig-wams, 
and  disapproved,  in  a  certain  degree,  of  her  and  her 
brother  John's  conforming  so  much  to  the  habits  and 
costume  of  the  English.  It  may  be  added  that  this  fa- 
mily are  the  children  of  the  celebrated  Mokawk  Indian 
Chief,  Captain  Brandt,  who  was  introduced  to  his  late 
Majesty,  and  who  translated  the  prayer-book,  and  part 
of  the  scriptures  into  one  of  the  Indian  languages;  and 
that  the  house  where  we  were  so  hospitably  entertained, 
'Was  built  upon  a  grant  of  land  bestowed  by  George  the 
Third  on  that  Mohawk  Prince. 


-*.*•*»«** 


--->*, 


AMONG  THE  INDIANS. 


37 


>o- 


My  thus  becoming  acquainted  with  this  yonntrlatly 
and  her  brother,  fully  estnbiislies  in  my  mind  nil  I  was 
anxious  to  prove  by  the  education  of  a  young  Indian ; 
and  many  such  instances  might  be  adduced  which  would 
evince  that  wisdom,  science,  and  exaltation  of  charac- 
ter, are  not  the  exclusive  property  of  any  colour,  tribe, 
or  nation.  The  bravery,  political  sagacity,  and  know- 
ledge of  government,  manifested  by  the  negroes  who 
now  govern  in  St.  Domingo  (not  to  mention  other  well- 
known  instances,)  are  calculated  to  allay  the  doubts 
which  used  to  prevail  as  to  the  capacity  of  the  African. 
But  between  the  Indian  of  North  America,  and  the  Afri- 
can, there  is  a  remarkable  difference.  The  former  ne- 
ver can  be  bowed  to  become  the  slave  of  man,  to  pay 
tribute,  or  to  submit,  by  any  hope  of  reward,  to  live  in 
vassalage.  Free*  like  the  son  of  hhmael,  he  will  die 
rather  than  yield  his  liberty;  and  he  is,  therefore,  hunt- 
ed down  by  people  wh5  boast  of  civilisation  and  Chris- 
tianity, and  who,  while  they  valu6  their  own  freedom  do 
not  hesitate  to  extend  their  lands  and  property  by  the 
merciless  destruction  of  the  unoffending  original  pro- 
prietor. But  let  not  those  who  still  claim  the  British 
name,  nor  the  citizens  of  the  United  States,  deceive 
themselves  in  the  belief  that  because  the  poor  Indians, 
whose  lands  they  possess,  and  whose  rivers  they  navi- 
^f4e,  have  no  powerful  voice  to  blazon  their  wrongs, 
and  hold  them  up  to  the  abhorrence  of  mankind,  they 
wiH  always  rest  unavenged ;  or  that  the  civilization 
which  is  pompously  carried  on,  but  which  is  in  fact  a 
slow  consuming  system  of  extinction,  will  avert  the  re- 
tributive justice  which  God  will  assuredly  render.  The 
poo|r  Indians  confess  that  for  their  crimes  they  are  now 
placed  by  the  Great  Spirit  under  the  feet  of  the  white 
men,  and  in  the  midst  of  their  sufferings,  they  patheti- 
cally warn  their  cruel  oppressors  that  the  time  may  yet 
come  when  the  Lord  will  have  pity  on  them,  and  in 
turn,  punish  the  Kuropeans.  Truly  the  ways  of  the 
Almighty  are  wonderful  !  The  apparent  prosperity  of 
the  wicked  are  among  the  most  unaccountable  features 


\ 


11 


,>  I 


< 


;^s4*.. 


-^^^^^^^!^'^''^^:'^m^ 


38 


EVIDENCES  OF  GENERAL  CAPACITY 


of  the  will  of  our  Creator,  and  would  be  utterly  without 
a  solution  had  we  not  the  Bib!eto  guide  us  into  a  right 
understanding  of  his  designs.  However  the  deist  may 
scoff,  or  the  philosopher  doubt,  yet  therein  we  see  that 
though  the  wrath  of  God  may  be  long  delayed,  the 
punishment  of  iniquity  will  assuredly  come  to  pass. 
The  re-action  of  crime  and  punishment  is  to  be  seen  in 
the  history  of  all  nations.  Liet  the  European  oppres- 
sors of  the  Indian  savage,  as  he  is  called,  look  to  it  in 
time  ;  and  while  the  diffusio'i  of  the  true  principles  of 
Christianity  throughout  the  British  empire,  is  followed 
by  clemency  and  mercy  to  the  African,  it  is  to  be  hoped 
the  same  benevolent  spirit  will  extend  itself  to  the  noble- 
minded  Aborigines  of  North  America;  and  that  instead 
of  supplying  arms,  ammunition,  blankets,  and  run?,  we 
may  lead  th'.'ra  to  the  arts  and  blessings  of  peace,  and 
to  the  improvement  of  their  admjrsble  native  talent. 

With  regard  to  the  terms,  "  barbarians"  and  "  sava- 
ges," which  it  is  the  fashion  to  lavish  so  prodigally  on 
our  Indians,  let  us  hear  what  the  philosophical  French 
essayist,  Montaif5no,  caid  nf  them,  in  rpfpr»»nco  to  these 
appellations,  between  two  and  three  hundred  years  ago. 
"  I  find  that  there  is  nothing  barbarous  and  savage  in 
this  nation,  by  any  thing  I  can  gather,  excepting  that 
every  one  gives  the  title  of  barbarity  to  every  thing 
that  is  not  in  use  in  his  own  country  :  as  indeed  we  have 
no  other  level  of  truth  and  reason,  than  the  example  atid 
idea  of  the  opinions  and  customs  of  the  place  wherein 
we  live.  There  is  always  the  true  religion ;  there  the 
perfect  government,  and  the  most  exact  and  accomplish- 
ed usance  of  all  th<ngs.  They  are  savages  at  the  same 
rate,  that  we  say  fruits  are  wild,  which  nature  produces 
of  herself,  and  by  her  own  ordinarv  progress  ;  whereas, 
in  truth,  we  ought  rather  to  call  those  wild,  whose  na- 
tures we  have  changed  by  our  artifice,  and  diverted  from 
the  common  order.  *****  These  nations,  then,  seem 
to  me  to  be  so  far  harbarons,  as  havinjac  received  but  ve- 
ry little  form  and  Fashion  from  art  and  hninnn  invention, 
and  consequently,  not  much  remote  from  their  original 


mi 


»^  ^'■m:~ffi.^: 


AMONG  THE  INDIANS. 


39 


simplicity.     The  laws  of  nature,  however,  govern  them 
still,  not,  asyctf  much  vitiated  with  any  mixture  of  ours ; 
but  in  such   purity,  that  I  am  sometimes  troubled  we 
were  no  sooner  acquainted  with  these  people,  and  that 
they  were  not  discovered  in  those  better  times,  when 
there  were  men  much  more  able  to  judge  of  them,  than 
we  are.     I  am  sorry  that  Lycurgus  and  Plato  had  no 
knowledge  of  them  ;  for  to  my  apprehension,  what  we 
now  see  in  those  natives,  does  not  only  surpass  all  the 
images  wit!^  which  the  poets  have  adorned  the  golden 
age,  and  all  their  inventions  in  feigning  a  happy  estate 
of  man  ;  but,  moreover,  the  fancy  and  even  the  wish  of 
philosophy  itself.     So  native  and  so  pure  a  simplicity, 
as  we,  by  expevience,  see  to  be  in  them,  could  never  en- 
ter into  the  imagination  of  the  ancient  philosophers,  nor 
could  they  ever  believe  that  human  society  could  have 
been  maintained  with  so  little  artifice.     Should  I  tell 
Plato   that  it  is  a  nation  wherein  there  is  no  manner  of 
traffic,  no  knowledge  of  letters,  no  science  of  numbers, 
no  name  of  magistrate,  nor  political  superiority,  no  use 
of  service,  no  riches  or  poverty,  no  contracts,  no  suc- 
cessions, no  dividends,  no  proprieties,  no  employments 
but  those  of  leisure,  iio  respect  of  kindred,  but  common, 
no  clothing,  no  agriculture,  no  metal,  no  use  of  corn  or 
wine,  and  where  so  much  as  the  very  words  that  signi- 
fy lying,  treachery,  dissimulation,   avarice,  detraction, 
and  pardon,  were  never  heard  of, — how  much  would  he 
find  his  im^aginary  republic  short  of  this  perfection."* 

Our  author,  in  the  detail  of  his  negations,  is  a  little 
incorrect,  but  the  passage,  on  the  whole,  is  a  noble  and 
profound^  vindication  of  this  primitive  people. 

*  Montaigne's  Essays,  book  1.  chap.  30.    Cotton's  translation. 


^i  % 


m   t 


•n- 


-mimiH 


BTV'^'., 


40 


CHAPTER  V. 

FEELINGS  AND  VIEWS  OF  THE  INDIANS  AT  THE  PRESENT 
liOUK,  WITH  SOME  SPECIMENS  OF  THEIR 
RECENT.  ORATORT.      . 

Several  chiefs  from  the  Missouri  territory,  (a  part 
of  North  America  which  is  inhabited  by  tribes  of  In- 
dians, who,  from  the  remoteness  of  their  situation,  do 
not  so  often  as  ofhers,.come  in  contact  with  white  men,) 
were  brought  by  order  of  the  government  of  the  United 
States,  to  Washington  under  the  guidance  of  Major 
O'Fallon.  The^  were  subsequently  taken  on  to  New- 
York,  .vhere,  as  at  Washington,  every  thing  calculated 
to  impress  their  minds  was  exhibited  to  them.  Previous 
to  their  departure  to  their  native  homes,  they  were  in- 
troduced to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  when 
the  following  speeches  were  delivered  by  them.  The 
reader,  I  think,  will  not  fail  to  discern  in  these  addresses 
a  grand  vein  of  original  eloquence,  united  with  great  sa- 
gacity ;  another  proof  of  the  error  of  his  Excellency  De 
Witt  Clinton,  in  confining  the  rhetorical  talent  solely  to 
the  Iroquois  or  Five  Nations.  It  is  with  feelings  of  hu- 
mility that  I  allude  again  to  this  inaccurate  statement. 
No  one  can  have  a  higher  respect  for  this  gentleman 
than  myself  His  discourse  delivered  to  the  Historical 
Society  of  New-York,  is  not  surpassed  by  any  docu- 
ment I  ever  read,  for  profoundness  of  intellect,  philan- 
thropy of  sentiment,  exquisite  beauty  of  composition, 
and  extent  of  historical  knowledge  condensed  within  a 
brief  space. 


^^■-'m^' 


^mmmmmm^. 


FEELINGS  AND  VIEWS  OF  THE  INDIANS,  hc>         41 

Speeches  of  several  of  the  ( 'hiefs  of  the  Delegation  of  In- 
dians^ under  Major  O^ Fallon,  to  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  in  Council,  on  the  4th  of  February, 

1822. 


li 


THE  PAWNEE  CHIEF. 

My  Great  Father : — I  have  travelled  a  great  distance 
to  see  you — 1  liave  seep  you  and  my  heart  rejoices.  I 
have  heard  your  words — ihey  have  entered  one  ear  and 
shall  not  escape  the  other,  and  1  will  carry  them  to  my 
people  as  pure  as  they  tame  (rom  your  mouth. 

My  Great  Father: — I  am  going  to  speak  the  truth. 
The  Great  Spirit  looks  down  upon  us,  and  I  call  Him 
to  witness  all  that  may  pass  between  us  on  this  occa- 
sion.    If  I  am  here  now   ana  have  seen   your  people, 
your  houses,  your  vessels  on  the  big  lake,  and  a  great 
many  wonderful  things  far  beyond  my  comprehension, 
which  appear  to  have  been   made  by  the  Great  Spirit 
and  placed  in  your  hands,  I  am  indebted  to  my  Father 
here,  who  invited  me  from  home,  under  whose  wings  I 
have  been  protected.*     Yes,  my  Great  Father,  1  have 
travelled  with  your  chief;  I  have  followed  him,  and  trod 
in  his  tracks ;  but  there  is  still  another  Great  Father  to 
whom  I  am  much  indebted — it  is  the  Father  of  uc  all. 
Him  who  made  us  and  placed  us  on  this  earth.     I  feel 
grateful    •>  iV.a  Great  Spirit  for  strengthening  my  heart 
for  such  an   undertaking,  and   for  preserving  the  life 
which  he  gave  me.     The  Great  Spirit  made  us  all — he 
made  my  skin  red,   and  yo  »rs  white  ;  he  placed  us  on 
this  earth,  and  intended  that  we  should  live  differently 
from  each  other. 

He  made  the  whites  to  cultivate  the  earth,  and  feed 
on  domestic  animals;  but  he  made  us,  red  skins,  to 
rove  through  the  uncultivated  woods  and  plains;  to 
feed  on  wild  animals;  and  to  dress  with  their  skins. 
Ke  also  intended  that  we  should  go  to  war — to  take 
scalps — steal  horses  from  and  triumph  over  our  enemies 


Vol.  I. 


*  Pointing  to  Major  O'Fallon. 


1J:J*'*;5U.'X- 


,H«IMI«I^'}<M^>-" 


42 


PEELINGS    AND   VIEWS 


— cultivate  peace  at  home,  and  promote  the  happiness: 
of  each  other.  I  believe  there  are  no  people  of  any 
colour  on  this  earth  who  do  not  believe  in  the  Great 
Spirit — in  rewards,  and  in  punishments.  We  worship 
him,  but  we  worship  him  not  as  you  do.  We  differ 
from  you  in  appearance  and  manners  as  well  as  in  our 
customs;  and  we  differ  from  you  in  our  religion;  we 
have  no  large  houses  as  you  have  to  worship  the  Great 
Spirit  in  ;  if  we  had  them  to-^day,  we  should  want 
others  to-morrow,  for  we  have  not,  like  you,  a  fixed 
habitation — we  have  no  settled  home  except  our  vil- 
lages, where  we  remain  but  two  moons  in  twelve.  We, 
like  animals,  rove  through  the  country,  whilst  you 
whites  reside  between  us  and  heaven;  but  siill,  my 
Great  Father,  we  love  the  Great  Spirit — we  acknow- 
ledge his  supreme  power— our  peace,  our  health,  and 
our  happiness  depend  upon  him,  and  our  lives  belong 
to  him — he  made  us  and  he  can  destroy  us. 

JWy  Great  Father : — Some  of  your  good  chiefs,  as 
they  are  called  (missionaries,)  have  proposed  to  send 
some  of  their  good  people  among  us  to  change  our 
habits,  to  make  us  work  and  live  like  the  white  people. 
I  will  not  tell  a  lie — I  am  going  to  tell  the  truth.  You 
love  your  country — you  love  your  people— you  love 
the  manner  in  which  they  live,  and  you  think  your 
people  brave.— I  am  like  you,  my  Great  Father,  I 
love  my  country — I  love  my  people — I  love  the  man- 
ner in  which  we  live,  and  think  myself  and  warriors 
brave.  Spare  me  then,  my  Father;  let  me  enjoy  my 
country,  and  pursue  the  buffaio,  and  the  beaveri  and 
the  other  wild  animals  of  our  country,  and  I  will  trade 
their  «kins  with  your  people.  I  have  grown  up,  and 
lived  thus  long  without  work— I  am  in  hopes  you  will 
suffer  me  to  die  without  it.  We  have  plenty  of  buffalo, 
beaver,  deer  and  other  wild  animals — we  have  also  an 
abundance  of  horses — we  have  every  thing  we  want — 
we  have  plenty  of  land,  if  you  will  keep  your  people 
off  of  it.  My  father  has  a  piece  on  which  he  lives, 
(Council  Bluffs)  and  we  wish  him  to   enjoy  it — we 


.--,.r^--^       f 


'^'•h^ 


less 

my 

reat 

ship 

liffer 


and 
pade 
and 


OF    THE    rNOIANS    AT    PRESENT. 


40 


have  enough  without  it — but  we  wish  him  to  live 
near  us  to  give  us  good  counsel — to  keep  our  ears 
and  eyes  open  that  we  may  continue  to  pursue  the 
right  road — the  road  to  happiness.  He  settles  all 
differences  between  us  and  the  whites,  between  the  red 
skins  themselves — he  makes  the  whites  do  justice  to 
the  red  skins,  and  he  makes  the  red  skins  do  justice 
to  the  whites.  He  saves  the  effusion  of  human 
blood,  aiul  restores  peace  and  happiness  on  the  land. 
You  have  already  sent  us  a  father;  it  is  enough 
he  knows  us  and  we  know  him — we  have  confi- 
dence in  him — we  keep  our  eye  constantly  upon  him, 
and  since  we  have  heard  your  words,  we  will  listen' 
more  attentively  to  his. 

It  is  too  soon,  my  Great  Father,  to  send  those 
good  men  among  us.  fVe  are  not  starving  yet — we 
wish  you  to  permit  us  to  enjoy  the  chase  until  the 
game  of  our  country  is  exhausted— until  the  wild  an- 
ithals  become  extinct.  Let  us  exhaust  our  present 
resources  before  you  make  us  toil  and  interrupt  our 
happiness— let  me  continue  to  live  as  I  have  done, 
and  after  i  have  passed  to  the  Good  or  Evil  Spirit 
from  off  the  wilderness  of  my  present  life,  the  sub- 
sistence of  my  children  may  become  so  precarious  as 
to  need  and  embrace  the  assistance  of  those  good 
people. 

There  was  a  time  when  we  did  not  know  the 
whites — our  wants  were  then  fewer  than  they  are 
now.  They  were  always  within  our  controul — we 
had  then  seen  nothing  which  we  could  not  get.  Be- 
fore our  intercourse  with  the  whites  (who  have 
caused  such  a  destruction  in  our  game,)  we  could  lie 
down  to  sleep,  and  when  we  awoke  we  would  find 
the  buffalo  feeding  around  our  camp — but  now  we 
are  killing  them  for  their  skin!^,  and  feeding  the 
wolves  with  their  flesh,  to  make  our  children  cry  over 
their  bones. 

Here,  My  Great  Father,  is  a  pipe  which  I  present 
you,  as  I  am  accustomed  to  present  pipes  to  all  the 


\) 


I)  1 


1 


ff 


* 


',»>>ii 


44 


FEELINGS    AND   VIEWS 


red  skins  in  peoce  with  us.  It  is  filled  with  sach  tO" 
bacco  as  we  were  accustomed  to  smoke  before  we 
knew  the  white  people.  It  is  pleasant,  and  the  spon- 
taneous growth  ot'  the  most  remote  parts  of  our 
country.  I  know  that  the  robes,  leggins,  mocka- 
sius,  bear-claws,  fee,  are  of  little  value  to  yo!i.  ^ut 
we  wish  you  to  have  thern  deposited  and  preserved 
in  some  conspicuous  part  of  your  lodge,  so  that 
when  we  are  gone  and  the  sod  turned  over  our  bones, 
if  our  children  should  visit  this  place,  as  we  do  now, 
they  may  see  and  recognize  with  pleasure  the  de- 
posites  of  their  fathers;  and  reflect  on  the  times  that 
are  past. 

PA.WNEE     LOUP    CHIEr. 

Jily  Great  Father: — Whenever  1  see  a  white  man 
amongst  us  i^itliout  a  protector,  I  tremble  for  him. 
I  am  aware  of  the  ungovernable  disposition  of  some 
of  our  young  men,  and  when  I  see  an  inexperienced 
white  man,  I  am  always  afraid  they  will  make  me 
cry.  I  now  begin  to  love  your  people,  and,  as  I 
love  my  own  people  too,  I  am  unwilling  that  any 
blood  should  be  spilt  between  us.  You  are  unac- 
quainted with  our  fashions,  and  we  are  unacquainted 
■  with  yours;  and  when  any  of  your  people  come 
among  us,  I  am  always  afraid  that  they  will  be 
struck  on  the  head  like  do^s,  as  we  should  be  here 
amongst  you,  but  for  our  father  in  whose  tracks  we 
tread.  When  your  people  come  among  us,  they 
should  come  as  we  come  among  you,  with  some  one 
to  protect  them,  whom  we  know  and  who  knows  us. 
Until  this  chief  came  amongst  us,  three  winters  since, 
we  roved  through  the  plains  only  thirsting  for  each 
others's  blood — we  were  blind — we  could  not  see  the 
right  road,  and  we  hunted  to  destroy  each  other. 
We  were  always  feeling  for  obstacles,  and  every 
thing  we  felt  we  thought  one.  Our  warriors  were 
always  gomg  to  and  coming  from  war.     I  myself 


m 


_  .»*.i«it«'i(i^j 


fjm^  ■■«^'*s<» 


OF    THE    INDIANS    AT    PRESENT. 


46 


have  killed  and  scalped  in  every  direction.     I  have 
often  triumphed  over  my  enemies. 


OTTOE  PART IZ AN. 

My  Great  Father: — I  am  brave,  and  if  I  had  not 
been  brave  1  should  not  have  followed  my  Father 
here.  1  have  killed  my  enemies,  I  have  taken  their 
liorses,  and  although  1  love  and  respect  my  Father, 
and  will  do  any  thing  he  tells  me,  1  will  not  submit 
to  an  insult  from  any  one.  If  my  enemies,  of  any  na- 
tion, should  strike  me,  I  will  rise  in  the  might  of  my 
strength,  and  avenge  the  spirit  of  nny  dead.     • 

O^MAHA    CHIEF. 

My  Great  Father: — Look  at  me — look  at  me,  my 
father,  my  hands  are  unstained  with  blood — my 
people  have  never  struck  the  whites,  and  the  whites 
have  never  struck  them.  It  is  not  the  case  with 
other  red  skins.  Mine  is  the  only  nation  that  has 
spared  the  long  knives.  I  am  a  chief,  but  not  the 
only  one  in  my  nation  ;  there  are  other  chiefs  who 
raise  their  crests  by  ray  side.  I  have  always  been 
the  friend  of  the  long  knives,  and  before  this  chiefs 
(Major  O'F.)  came  among  us,  I  suffered  much  in 
support  of  the  whites.  I  was  of);en  reproached  for 
being  a  friend,  but  when  my  father  came  amongst  us, 
he  strengthened  my  arms,  and  I  soon  towered  over 
the  rest. 

My  Great  Father : — ^I  have  heard  some  of  your 
chiefs,  who  propose  to  send  some  good  people 
amongst  us,  to  iearn  us  to  live  as  you  do ;  but  I  do 
not  wish  to  tell  a  lie—  \  am  onlj'  one  man,  and  will 
not  presume,  at  this  distance  from  my  people,  to  speak 
for  them,  on  a  subject  with  which  they  are  entirely 
unacquainted — ^I  am  afjraid  it  is  too  soon  for  us  to 

*  Pointing  to  Mci^or  CFallw. 
4^ 


.^|Bir'-*J»T 


46 


FEELII7GS    AND    Vlt^WS 


attempt  to  change  habits.  We  have  too  much  gaiut 
in  our  country — we  feed  too  plentifully  on  the  buf- 
falo to  bruise  our  hands  with  the  instruments  of  agri- 
<:ulture. 

The  Greut  Spirit  made  my  skin  red,  and  he  made 
us  to  live  as  we  do  now;  and  I  believe  that  when  the 
Great  Spirit  placed  us  upon  this  earth  he  consulted 
our  happiness.  We  love  our  country — we  love  our 
customs  and  habits.  I  wish  (hat  you  would  permit 
us  to  enjoy  them  as  long  as  I  live.  When  we  be- 
come  hungry,  naked — when  the  gane  of  our  country 
^becomes  exhausted,  and  misery  encompasses  our 
families,  then,  and  not  till  then,  do  I  want  those  good 
people  among  us.  Then  ihf^y  may  lend  us  a  help- 
ing hand — then  show  us  the  wealth  of  the  earth — the 
advantages  and  sustenance  to  be  derived  from  its 
culture. 

I  am  fond  of  peace,  my  Great  Father,  but  the 
Sioux  have  disturbed  my  repose.  They  have  struck 
upon  me  and  killed  two  of  my  brothers,  and  since 
more  of  my  bravest  warriors,  whose  deaths  are  still 
unrevenged.  Those  Sioux  live  high  up  the  Missouri, 
and,  although  they  have  seen  my  father  and  heard 
his  words,  they  rove  on  the  land  like  hungry  wolves, 
and,  like  serpents  creeping  through  the  grass,  they 
disturb  the  unsuspecting  stranger  passing  through 
the  country.  I  am  almost  the  only  red  skin  opposed 
to  war — but,  my  father,  what  should  I  do  to  satisfy 
the  dead,  when  every  wind  coming  over  their  bones 
bring  to  my  ears  their  cries  for  revenge  f  I  am  con- 
stantly disturbed  by  the  recollection  of  my  brotherSj 
and  am  afraid  to  neglect  their  bones,  which  have 
beC!i  thrown  to  the  winds,  and  lie  uncovered  and  ex- 
posed to  the  sun.  I  must  not  be  slow  to  avenge 
their  death ;  I  am  forced  to  war,  my  Great  Father, 
and  I  dm  in  hopes  you  will  assist  me ;  I  am  in  hopes 
that  you  will  give  some  arms  to  my  father  to  place 
in  the  hands  of  my  brave,  to  enable  them  to  defend 
their  wives  and  children>     Since  I  have  known  my 


•u^am^lfi^; 


OF   THE    INDIANS    AT   PRESENT. 


47 


lade 

the 
ihed 

our 
^rmit 

be- 
inti-y 

our 


lather,  I  have  obeyed  Am  commandsj  and  wlien  I  die 
I  will  leave  my  children  to  him  that  he  may  do  witli 
them  as  he  pleases. 

O'SIAHA    PARITZAN. 

My  Great  Father: — My  father  was  a  chief,  but 
he  grew  old,  and  became  dry  like  grass,  and  passed 
away,  leaving  tht  roots  from  which  I  sprung  up,  and 
have  gfown  so  large  without  one  mark  of  distinc- 
tion. I  am  still  green,  but  am  afraid  to  die  without 
the  fame  of  my  father.  I  wish  you  would  be  so  good 
as  to  give  me  a  mark  to  attract  the  attention  of  my 
people,  that  when  I  return  home  I  may  bring  to 
their  recollection  the  deeds  of  my  father  and  my 
claims  to  distinction.  Since  I  left  home  I  have  been 
much  afflicted;  death  sought  me,  but  I  clung  to  my 
father  and  he  kept  it  off.  I  have  now  grown  fat,  and 
am  in  hopes  to  return  to  my  nation.  There  is  my 
chief,  (pointing  to  the  Big  Elk,)  who  has  no  claims, 
no  inheritance  from  his  father.  I  am  now  following 
behind  him,  and  treading  upon  his  heels,  in  hopes 
that  you  and  my  father  here,*  will  take  piiy  on  mc 
and  recollect  who  my  father  was. 


The  following  minutes  of  a  conference  with  the 
Senecas,  exhibit  what  the  Indians  are  subject  to  even 
in  the  state  of  New  York  at  present. 

In  Senate,  February  11,  1620. 

MESSAGE  FROM  HIS  EXCELLENCY  THE  GOVERNOtl. 

TO  THE  SENATE  AND  ASSEMBLY. 

Gentlemen — 

I  have  the  honour  to  transmit  to  you  the  minutes 
.of  a  conference  with  the  representatives  of  the  SeneCa 

*  Pointing  to  Major  OTallon 


.ft' 


48 


FEELINGS    AND    VIEWS 


l>     * 


i 


Indians.  I  respectfully  recommend  to  your  favour- 
able considerations,  the  objects  suggested  by  them ; 
and  as  I  understand  that  there  is  now  a  bill  before 
you,  relative  to  the  ferry  at  Black  Rock,  it  may  be 
deemed  proper  by  you  to  consider  one  of  the  re- 
quests of  the  Senecas  in  connexion  with  the  other 
provisions  contained  in  that  bill. 

De  Witt  Clinton. 

Albany,  iUh  February,  1820. 

♦- 
Minutes  of  a  Conference  between  his  Exxellencp  De 

fVitt  Clinton,  and  Pollard  and   Capt.  Strong,  the 

Representatives  of  the  Sachem  Chiefs  of  the  Seneca 

JVation,  February  7,  1820. 

SPEECH  OP  THE  INDIAN  REPRESENTATIVES. 

Brother  ! — I  am  happy  to  find  you  enjoying  good 
health,  a^  the  great  council  fire,  in  Albany.  Although 
our  number  is  small  now  before  you,  yet  we  come  not 
without  authority.  We  are  authorized  and  instructed 
to  make  these  communications.  We  come  in  com- 
pany with  an  agent  of  the  United  States.  What  we 
do,  was  agreed  upon  in  a  council  of  the  Seneca  Na- 
tion, before  we  left  home. 

Brother  ! — Last  summer,  when  you  were  at  Buf- 
falo, you  will  recollect  that  we  had  an  interview  with 
you,  and  stated  our  grievances.  We  had  heard  bad 
accounts  before,  concerning  our  reservations.  You 
then  stated  to  us,  that  you  were  net  prepared  to 
give  us  an  answer  to  our  request,  and  that  you  would 
prefer  receiving  a  delegation  from  us,  in  Albany,  at 
the  commencement  of  the  winter.  We  now  come. 
We  intended  to  have  come  sooner ;  but  the  United 
States'  agent  having  agreed  to  come  with  us,  and  he 
liaving  been  detained  at  Canandaigu,  in  making  his 
report,  we  have  been  prevented. 

Brother ! — Our  principal  object  is,  to  obtain  a  full 
and  fair  statement  of  you,  concerning  our  reservationi 
Reports  are  in  circulatiov,  that  we  hav?  no  rights. 


\  \ 


;^.«^»%(feir''fA.— 


OF  THE  INDIANS  AT  PRESENT. 


49 


We  want  a  statement  under  your  hands,  what  we 
have,  and  what  we  have  not.  We  want  to  know 
whether  we  can  go  on  with  our  improvements — 
whether  we  are  safe  from  the  claims  of  those  who 
have  pre-emption  rights ;  or,  whether  we  are  to  be 
swept  away,  and  robbed  and  phindered  of  our  own. 

Brother  ! — You  can  but  recollect  the  treaty  be- 
tween {Governor  George  Clinton,  and  the  Seueca  Na- 
tion. The  treaty  embraced  a  conveyance  from  us  to 
the  people,  of  a  strip  of  land,  of  one  mile,  on  the 
straights  of  Niagara.  The  treaty  contained  a  condi- 
tion that  we  should  fujoy  the  free  privilege  of  passing 
the  ferry  at  Black  Rock,  without  paying  toll.  This 
right  was  confined  to  the  Seneca  Nation.  The  enjoy- 
ment of  this  privilege  is  interrupted.  The  man  who 
has  the  care  of  the  ferry,  cannot  discriminate  and  de- 
termine ivhat  Indians  have  a  right  to  pass  toll  free. 
The  Six  Nations  wish  to  pass  toll-free.  They  are  now 
prevented,  and  oftentimes  have  no  money  to  pay. 
They  want  a  general  right.  The  lease  of  the  ferry 
expires  soon.  In  consequence  of  the  late  war,  the 
papers  concerning  the  before-mentioned  treaty,  are 
lost.  We  now  ask  a  copy  of  that  treaty  on  parch* 
ment. 

Brother  ! — ^Upon  pur  domains  at  Buffalo,  there  are 
many  depredations.  We  want  a  commissioner  or  an 
attorney  appointed  to  settle  our  difficulties  with  the 
white  people — to  stand  forth  on  all  occasions,  as  the 
protector  of  our  interests,  and  as  a  pacificator  in  all 
disputes  which  we  may  have. 

Brother  ! — We  last  summer  informed  you  of  our 
wishes  to  receive  instruction,  and  to  near  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel.  We  solicit  aid,  that  we  may  in- 
struct our  children,  build  a  small  edifice  in  which  we 
can  have  religious  worship ; — we  solcit  aid  too,  that 
will  encourage  in  us  a  better  knowledge  of  agricul- 
ture. 

Brother  ! — We  have  been  defrauded  in  the  sale  of 
our  reservation  on  Genesee  river.     The  land  called 


I 


*?^?'''*"*"**'***'^^^^iC^!iir*i-t* 


...  -:u 


50 


FEELINGS  ANJ>  VIEWS 


Bayard's  reservation,  was  purchased  by  Oliver 
Phelps,  and  no  equivalent  has  ever  been  realized  by 
us.     Have  we  any  remedy  ? 

Brother  ! — One  thing  more  :  We  wish  to  speak  of 
the  Cattaraugus  reservation.  We  have  the  right  of 
ferriage,  on  one  side  of  the  river.  A  man,  by  the 
name  of  Mack,  deprives  us  of  this  right.  Have  wc 
any  remedy  ? 

Brother  ! — We  have  been  brief.  We  hope  to  be 
understood.  We  ask  answers  to  our  solicitations  as 
soon  as  they  can  be  given.  We  depart  in  the  spirit 
of  peace,  and  may  the  Great  Spirit  bless  you. 

ANSWER. 

TO  THE  SACUEMS,  CHIEFS  AND  WARRIORS  OP  THE 
SENECA  INDIANS. 

Brethren  ! — I  have  received  your  communication 
by  your  representatives.  Pollard  and  Capt.  Strong  j 
I  am  rejoiced  to  hear  of  your  welfare;  may  the  Great 
Spirit  continue  to  bless  you. 

Brethren ! — You  desire  to  know  the  full  extent  of 
your  rights  m  your  reservations.  This  request  is 
reasonable  You  have  an  absolute  and  uncontrolled 
right  to  those  lands,  to  all  that  they  contain,  am  to 
all  that  they  can  produce.  •  To  prevent  a  recurrence 
of  frauds,  which  have  too  often  been  practised  by  our 
people  on  our  Red  brethren,  our  laws  have  ordained, 
that  no  sale  of  Indian  l^nd  shall  be  val  d,  without  the 
sanction  of  the  government.  In  your  case,  the  right, 
of  purchasing  the  lands  of  your  nation,  w.ts  granted 
by  the  state  of  New-York  to  i*^"  «tate  of  Massachu- 
setts ;  Massachusetts  conveyed  the  right  to  Phelps 
and  Gorham  ;  and  afterwards  to  Robert  Morris  ;  Ro- 
bert Morris  again  sold  it  to  the  Holland  l.md  com- 
pany ,  and  the  Holland  land  company  have  transferred 
it  to  David  A.  Ogden  and  his  associates.  All  the  right 
that  Ogden  and  his  company  have,  is  the  right  of 
purchasing  your  reservations,  when  you  think  it  ex- 
pedient to  sell  them  ;  that   is,  they   can   buy  your 


OF  TUE  INDIANS  AT  PRESENT. 


51 


Oliver 
id  by 

}ak  or 

^ht  of 

fy  the 

!e  we 

to  be 
>us  as 
spirit 


lands,  but  no  other  persons  can.  You  may  retain 
them  as  long  as  you  please,  and  you  may  sell  them 
to  Ogden  as  sron  as  you  please.  You  are  the  owners 
of  these  lands  in  the  same  way  that  your  brethren, 
the  Oneidas,  are  of  their  reservations.  They  are  all 
that  is  lefl  of  what  the  Great  Spirit  gave  to  your  an- 
cestors. !Vo  man  shall  deprive  you  of  thom,  without 
your  consent.  This  state  will  protect  you  in  the  full 
enjoyment  of  your  property.  We  are  strong — we 
are  willing  to  shield  yon  from  oppression.  The 
Great  Spirit  looks  down  on  the  conduct  of  mankind, 
and  will  punish  us,  if  we  permit  the  remnant  of  the 
Indian  nations,  which  is  with  us,  to  be  injured.  We 
feel  for  you,  brethren  :  we  shall  watch  over  your  in- 
terests ;  we  know  that  in  a  future  world  we  shall  be 
called  upon  to  answer  for  our  conduct  to  our  fellow 
creatures. 

I  am  pleased  to  hear  of  your  attention  to  agricul- 
ture, education,  and  religion.  Without  agriculture, 
you  will  suffer  for  want ci  food  or  clothing:  without 
education,  you  will  be  in  a  st  te  of  mental  darkness  : 
and  without  religion,  you  cannot  expect  happiness  in 
this  world  nor  in  the  world  to  come. 

Brethren, — Your  suggestions  about  the  appoint- 
ment of  an  attorney,  to  guard  you  against  the  in- 
trusions and  trespasses  of  the  whites  ;  about  the  free 
passage  of  the  Indians  over  the  ferry  at  Black  Rock  ; 
about  the  ferriage  on  your  side  of  Cattaraugus  re- 
servation ;  and  about  the  erection  of  a  house  of  wor- 
ship and  education,  will  be  transmitted  to  the  great 
council,  who  will,  I  am  persuaded,  grant  these  re- 
quests. 

Brethren, — I  recommend  to  you  to  refrain  from 
those  vices  which  have  nearly  exterminated  all  our 
red  brethren.  Cultivate  sobriety  aud  justice,  and 
may  the  Great  Spirit  look  down  upon  you  with  eyes 
of  mercv! 

DE  WITT  CMNTON. 

Albany  J  9th  February,  1820. 


I 


f 


fmm>tL 


i 


52 


FEELINGS    AND    VIEWS 


I  know  not  what  effect  the  succeeding  document 
may  have  on  my  readers,  but  to  me  it  is  deeply  af- 
fecting ;  and  furnishes  a  triumphant  proof  of  the 
genius  of  these  extraordinary  people  for  eloquence. 
It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  interpreter  himself 
was  unable  to  write,  though  a  better  evidence  than 
this  of  the  genuineness  of  the  memorial,  as  proceed- 
ing from  the  unprompted  Indians,  may,  I  think,  be 
found  in  the  character  of  the  language.  The  style 
is  primitive  ;  the  short  sentences  teem  with  power;  a 
serene  majesty  is  spread  over  the  entire  composition ; 
and  the  pathos  searches  and  melts  the  very  soul.  It 
bears  a  considerable  resemblance,  in  my  opinion,  to 
the  inspired  writings,  and  could  not  have  been  sup- 
plied to  the  Indians  by  any  white  scribe  ;  nor  could 
its  peculiar  characteristics  have  been  superinduced 
by  the  art  of  the  translator.  At  least  such  is  my 
belief. 


To  Ills  ExcBLLENCY  De  Witt  Clinton,  Es<i.  Go- 
vernor OP  THE  State  of  New-York, 
,  Feb.  14,   1818. 

Father, — We  learn  from  vonr  talk  delivered  at  the 
great  council  fire  in  Albany,  your  opinion  of  the 
condition  and  prospects  of  your  red  children. 

Father^—Vfe  feel  that  the  hand  of  our  God  has 
long  been  heavy  on  his  red  children.  For  our  sins 
he  lias  brought  ns  low,  and  caused  us  to  melt  away 
before  our  white  brothers,  as  snow  before  the  fire. 
His  ways  are  perfect ;  he  regardelh  not  the  com- 
plexion of  man.  God  is  terrible  in  judgment.  All 
men  ought  to  fear  before  him.  He  puttcth  down 
and  buildeth  up,  and  none  can  resist  him. 

Father^ — The  Lord  of  the  whole  earth  is  strong  ; 
this  is  our  confidence.  He  hath  power  to  build  up 
as  well  as  to  pull  down.  Will  he  keep  his  anger  for 
ever  ^  Will  he  purt'ia  to  destruction  the  workman- 
ship of  his  own  hand,  and  strike  off  a  race  of  men 


■-*-«§IU|»!^--»,. 


,.#*:;, -^^^^ 


OF   TBC   INDIANS   AT   VftE8£NT. 


W 


from  the  earth,  whom  his  care  hath  so  long  preserved 
through  so  many  perils  ? 

jF*aMcr,-^We  thank  you  that  you  feel  so  anxious 
to  do  all  yoQ  can  to  the  perishing  ruins  of  your  red 
children.  We  hope,  Father,  you  will  raalle  a  fence 
strong  and  high  around  i/s,  that  wicked  white  men 
may  not  devour  us  at  once,  but  let  us  live  as  long  as 
we  can.  We  are  persuaded  you  will  do  this  for  us, 
because  our  field  is  laid  waste  and  trodden  down  by 
every  beast ;  we  are  feeble  and  cannot  resist  them. 

JRtiAer, — We  are  persuaded  you  will  do  this  for 
the  sake  of  our  white  brothers,  lest  God,  who  has 
appearied  so  strong  in  building  up  white  men,  and 
pulling  down  Indians,  should  turn  his  hand  and  visit 
our  white  brothers  for  their  sins,  and  call  them  to  an 
account  for  ail  the  wrongs  they  have  done,  and  all 
the  wrongs  they  have  not  prevented  that  was  in  their 
power  to  prevent,  to  their  poor  red  brothers  who  have 
no  helper. 

Father, — Would  you  be  the  father  of  your  people, 
and  make  them  good  and  blessed  of  God,  and  happy, 
let  not  the  cries  of  your  injured  red  children  ascend 
into  his  ears  against  you. 

Father, — We  desire  to  let  you  know  that  wrong 
information  hath  reached  your  ears.  Our  western 
brothers  have  given  us  no  land.  You  will  learn  all 
our  mind  on  this  subject,  by  a  talk  which  we  sent  our 
Great  Father,  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
We  send  it  to  you,  that  you  may  see  it  and  learn  our 
mind. 

Bed  Jacket,  his  ^  mark, 
Young  King,  his  ^  mark, 
Captain  Billey,  his  ^  mark, 
Captain  Pollard,  his  ^  mark, 
Twenty  Canoes,  his  ^  mark, 
James  Stephenson,  his  ^  markf 
*       Chief  Warrior,  his  ^  mark, 
John  Snow,  his  ^  mark, 
^Stfide  Town,  his  ><  maiii, 
V014.  X.  6 


% 


i  1 


>  •' 


•54 


FEBLINOS  AND   VIEWS 


\f: 


Wheel  Barrow,  his  ^  mark, 
Captain  Cole,  his  ><  mark, 
Big  Kettle,  his  ><  mark. 
Done  at  the  great  council  fire,  Seneca  Village, 
near  Buffalo,  14th  Feb.  1818. 

Harbt  York,  Interpreter,  his  ^  mark. 

P.  S.  The  above  Chiefs  request  your  Excellency 
to  publish,  or  cause  to  be  published,  that  article 
of  the  treaty  between  the  state  of  New-York  and 
the  Indians,  that  relates  to  their  fishing  and  hunt- 
ing privileges,  which  their  white  brethren  |^em  to 
have  forgotten. 

^  The  foregoing  adaress  to  Governor  Clinton  arose 

in  consequence  of  the  following  passage  in  his  Excel- 
_  lency's  Speech  to  the  Legislation  at  Albany,  deliver- 
ed on  the  27th  January,  1818. 
''  "  The  Indians  in  our  territory  are  experiencing 

the  fate  of  all  barbarous  tribes  in  the  vicinity  of  civi- 
lized nations,  and  are  constantly  deteriorating  in 
character,  and  diminishing  in  number ;  and  before 
the  expiration  of  half  a  century,  there  is  a  strong 
probability  they  will  entirely  disappear.  It  is  un- 
derstood that  the  Western  Indians  are  desirous  that 
ours  should  emigrate  to  au  extensive  territory  re- 
mote from  white  population,  and  which  will  be 
granted  to  them  gratuitously.  As  this  will  preserve 
them  from  rapid  destruction  ;  as  it  is  in  strict  unison 
with  the  prescriptions  of  humanity,  and  will  not  in- 
terfere with  the  blessing  of  religious  instruction,  there 
can  be  no  objection  to  their  removal.  This,  how- 
ever, ought  to  be  free  and  voluntary  on  their  part, 
and  whenever  it  takes  place  it  is  our  duty  to  see 
that  they  receive  an  an^le  compensation  for  their 
territory.  At  the  present  time  they  are  frequently 
injured  and  defrauded  by  intrusions  upon  their  lands, 
and  some  of  the  most  valuable  domains  of  the  state 
arc  sufe|bcte(l  to  similar  detriment.     !t  is  very  desira- 


7 


:aJfe.' 


^%*' 


-^     » 


-^v,«««^^^t 


OF    VHlT^INDIANS    AT  "pl^SENT. 


r,h 


ik, 


iTillage. 

trk. 

;ellency 
article 
Mk  and 
d  hunt^ 
sj^^em  to 


m  arose 
i  Excel- 
deliver- 

riencing 
of  civi- 
iting  in 
d  before 
,  strong 
I  is  un- 
ous  that 
tory  re- 
will  be 
preserve 
t  unison 
i  not  in- 
sn,  there 
is,  bow- 
eir  part, 
'  to  see 
for  their 
equently 
ir  lands, 
the  state 
y  desira- 


ble that  otir  lars  should  provide  adequate  remedies 
in  these  cases,  and  that  they  should  be  vigorously  en- 
forced." 

Our  subject  will  be  further  illustrated  by  the  fol- 
lowing, which  furnishes  another  instance  of  the  eter- 
nal violatifri  of  treaty  by  the  white  people  in  their 
intercourse  with  the  red  men  of  America. 

CORNPLANTER»S  LETTER. 

^  Jlllegheny  niver,  2d  mo.  2d,  \S22. 

SPEECH    OF     CORNPLANTER    TO    THE    GOVERNOR    OF 

PENNSYLVANIA* 

1  feel  it  my  duty  to  send  a  speech  to  the  Governor 
of  Pennsylvania  at  this  time,  and  inJorm  him  the 
place  where  I  was  from— which  was  at  Conewaugus, 
on  the  Genesee  River. 

When  I  was  a  child,  I  played  with  the  butterfly, 
the  grasshopper  and  the  frogs ;  and  as  I  grew  up,  I 
began  to  pay  some  attention  and  piny  with  the  In- 
dian boys  in  the  neighbourhood,  and  they  took  no- 
tice of  ray  skin  being  a  different  colour  from  theirs, 
and  spoke  about  it.  I  inquired  of  my  mother  the 
cause,  and  she  told  me  that  my  father  was  a  re- 
sidenter  in  Albany.  I  still  eat  my  victuals  out  of 
a  bark  dish— -I  grew  up  to  be  a  young  man,  and 
married  me  a  wife — and  I  had  no  kettle  or  gun.  i 
then  knew  where  my  father  lived,  and  went  to  see 
him,  and  found  he  was  a  white  man,  and  spoke  the 
English  language.  He  gave  me  victuals  whilst  1  was 
at  his  house,  but  when  I  started  to  return  home,  he 
gave  me  no  provision  to  eat  on  the  way.  He 
gave  me  neither  kettle  nor  gun  ;  neither  did  he  tell 
me  that  the  United  States  were  about  to  rebel  against 
the  government  of  England. 

I  will  now  tell  you,  brothers,  who  are  in  session  of 
the  legislature  of  Pennsylvania,  that  the  Great  Spirit 
has  made  known  to  ine  that  I  have  been  wicked ;  and 


ni 


!»=,»;*" 


^"f^-'f^mx^ 


KfM 


FSELING5    AKD   VIEWS 


^. 


'i 


the  cause  thr  9f  was  the  revolationary  war  in  Ame- 
rioR.  The  caase  of  Indians  having  been  led  into  sin, 
at  that  iirae,  was  that  many  of  them  were  in  the  prac- 
tice of  drinking  and  getting  intoxicated.  Great  Bri- 
tain requested  us  to  join  with  them  in  the  conflict 
against  the  Americans,  and  promised  the  Indians  land 
and  liquor.  I,  myself,  was  opposed  to  joining  in  the 
conflict,  as  1  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  difficulty  that 
existed  between  the  two  parties.  I  have  noiv  inform- 
ed you  how  it  happened  that  the  Indians  took  a  part 
in  the  revolution,  and  will  relate  to  you  some  circum- 
stances that  occurred  after  the  close  of  the  war.  Ge- 
neral Putnam,  who  was  then  at  Philadelphia,  told 

-me  thelre  was  to  be  a  council  at  Fort  Stanwix  ;  and 
the  Indians  requested  me  to  attend  on  behalf  of  the 
Six  Nations — which  I  did,  and  there  met  with  three 
comroissiouers,  who  bad  been  appointed  to  hold  the 
council.  They  told  me  they  would  infor  ii  me  of  the 
cause  of  .'he  revolution,  which  1  requested  them  to 
do  minutely.  They  then  said  that  it  had  originated 
on  account  of  the  fareavy  taxes  that  had  been  imposed 
apon  them  by  the  British  government,  which  had 
been,  for  My  years,  increasing  upon  tbem  ;  that  the 
Americans  had  grown  weary  therettf,  and  refused  to 

^ay,  which  affronted  the  king.  There  had  likewise 
a  driSiculty  taken  place  about  some  tea  (which  they 
wished  me  not  to  use,  as  it  had  been  one  of  the  cau- 

'ses  that  many  people  had  lost  the^r  lives.)  And  the 
British  government  now  being  affronted,  the  war 
commenced,  and  the  cannons  began  to  roar  in  oar 
country.  General  Putnam  then  told  me  at  the  cpub- 
cil  at  Fort  Stanwix,  that  by  the  late  war,  the  Ame- 
ricans had  gained  two  objects :  they  had  established 
themselves  an  independent  nation,  and  bad  obtained 
gome  land  to  live  upon — the  division-line 'of  which, 
from  Great  Britain,  ran  through  the  lakes.  I  then 
spoke.  Mid  said  that  I  wanted  sonie  land  for  the  In- 
dians to  live  on,  and  General  Putnam  said  that  it 
should  be  granted,  and  I  should  have  land  in  the 


bF   THE    INDIANS   AT  PRESENT. 


5T 


State  of  New- York,  for  the  Indians.  .General  Put- 
nam then  encouraged  me  to  use  my  endeavours  to 
pacify  the  Indians  generally  ;  and  as  be  considered 
it;oin  arduous  task  to  perform,  wished  to  kqow  what 
I  wanted  for  pay  therefor  f  I  replied  to  him,  that  I 
would  use  my  en^ieavours  to  do  as  he  had  requested, 
with  the  Iiidians,  and  for  pay  therefor,  1  would  take 
land.  I  lold  him  not  to  pay  me  money  or  dry- 
goods,  but  land.  And  for  having  attended  thereto  I 
received  the  tract  of  Innd  on  which  1  now  live,  which 
was  presented  to  me  by  Governor  Mifflin.  I  told  Ge- 
neral Putnam,  that  I  wished  the  Indians  to  have  the 
exclu«ive  privilege  of  the  deer  and  wild  game — which 
he  assented  to.  I  also  wished  the  Indians  to  have  the 
privilege  of  hunting  in  the  woods,  and  making  fires 
— which  he  likewise  assented  to. 
X  The  treaty  that  was  made  at  the  aforementioned 
council,  has  been  broken  by  some  of  the  white  peo- 
ple, which  I  now  intend  acquainting  the  governor 
with : — Some  white  people  are  not  willing  that  In- 
dians should  hunt  any  more,  whilst  others  are  satis- 
fied therewith  y  and  those  white  people  who  reside 
near  our  reservation,  tell  us  that  the  woods  are  theirs, 
and  they  have  obtaif;eu  them  from  the  governor. 
Th6  treaty  has  been  also  broken  by  the  white  people 
using  their  endeavours  to  destroy  all  the  wolves — 
which  was  not  spoken  about  in  the  council  at  Fort 
Stanwix,  by  General  Putnam,  but  has  originated 
lately. 

It  has  been  broken  again^  which  is  of  recent  origin 
White  people  wish  to  get  credit  from  Indian^,  and 
do  not  pay  them  honestly,  according  to  their  agree- 
ment. In  another  respect  it  has  also  been  broken 
by  white  people,  who  reside  near  my  dwelling ;  for 
when  I  plant  melons  and  vines  in  my  field,  they  take 
them  as  their  own.  It  has  been  broken  again  by 
white  people  using  their  endeavoors  to  obtain  our 
pine  trees  from  os.  We  have  very  few  pine  trees  on 
qjir  land,  in  the  st^te  of  l^ew  York ;  and  white  peo- 

6* 


11  I 


)l 


y 


111 


»e 


rSSUNGS    ANB   VIEWS 


I; 


i;, 


pie  and  Inoia/is  often  gtei  into  diapate  respecting  them. 
There  is  ulso  a  great  quantity  of  whiskey  loaronght 
near  our  reservation  by  white  people,  and  the  Indians 
obtain  it  and  become  drunken.  Another  circac^- 
stance  has  taken  piace  which  is  very  trying  to  rne^ 
and  i  wish  the  interference  of  the  governor. 

The  white  people,  who  live  at  Warren,  called  upau 
me,  some  time  ago,  to  pay  taxes  for  my  land  ;  whieh 
I  objected  to,  as  1  had  never  been  called  upon  foi 
that  purpose  before  ;  and  having  refused  to  pay,  the 
white  people  became  irritated,  "(tiled  upon  me  fre- 
quently, and  at  length  brought  four  guns  with  them 
and  seized  our  cattle.  I  still  ret'used  to  paiy,  and 
was  not  willing  to  let  the  cattle  gu.  After  a  time  ot 
dispute,  they  returned  home,  ana  i  understood  the 
militia  was  ordered  out  to  enforce  the  collection  of  the 
tax.  I  went  to  Warren,  and,  to  sivert  the  impending 
drMculty,  was  obliged  to  give  my  note  for  the  tax, 
the  amount  of  which  was  forty-three  dollars  and 
seventy-nine  cents.  It  is  my  desire  that  the  governor 
will  exempt  me  from  paying  taxes  for  my  land  to 
white  people ;  and  also  cause  tnat  the  money  I  am 
now  obliged  to  pay,  may  be  retimed  to  me,  as  f  am 
very  poor.  The  governor  is  tlfe  person  who  attends 
to  f  he  situation  of  the  people,  and  I  wish  him  to  send 
a  person  to  Alleghany,  tha^  I  may  inform  him  of  the 
particulars  of  our  situation,  and  he  be  authorized  to 
instruct  the  whide  people,  in  what  manner  to  conduct 
themselves  towards  Indians. 

The  government  has  told  us  that  when  any  diffi- 
culties arose  between  Indians  and  white  peopl^^,  they 
would  attend  to  having  them  removed.  We  are  now 
in  a  trying  siHiation,  and  I  wigh  the  governor  to  send 
a  person,  authorized  to  attend  thereto,  the  forepart  ot 
nejEt  summer,  about  the  time  that  grass  has  grown 
high  enough  for  pasture. 

.  The  governor  formerly  requested  me  to  pay  afl- 
tention  to  the  Indians,  and  take  care  of  them  : — wf> 
afe  now  pjTived  aft  a  sitnition  that  I  believe  Indian 


or  TSSINBIANS  A.T  CaESSNT. 


69 


cannot  exist,  unJesi  the  governor  should  comply  with 
my  coquest,  and  send  a  person  anthoriaer*  %o  treat 
betvMen  ns  and  ^e  white  people,  the  approaching 
summer.     I  have  now  noioiore  to  speak. 

CoRNPLAifTEH,  Mis  >^  Mafk, 
A .  Joseph  Elkinton, 

^'  Interprete)r  and  Scrivener. 

2'o  Joseph  Heister, 

"Governor  of  Menn$yhama.  # 

I  will  conclude  this  chapter  with  the  oration  o( 
Te-cum-seb,  the  celebrated  Shawanee  warrior,  as 
rendered  by  Mr.  Hunter.  It  appears,  from  his  ac- 
count, that  ''  some  of  the  white  people  among  the 
Osages  were  traders,  and  others  were  reputed  to  be 
runners  from  their  Great  Father  beyond  wbe  great 
waters,  to  invite  the  Indians  to  take  up  the  toma- 
hawk against  the  settlers.  They  made  many  long 
talks,  and  distributed  many  valuable  presents ;  but 
without  being  able  to  shake  the  resolution  which  the 
Osages  bad  formed,  to  preserve  peace  with  "dieir 
Great  Father,  tlie  president.  Their  determinations 
were,  however,  to  undergo  i^  more  severe  trial : — 
Te-cum-seh  now  made  his  appearance  among  them.'' 

*'  He  addressed  them  in  longf  eloquert,  and  pathe- 
tic strains;  and  an  assembly  more  numerous  than 
had  ever  been  witnessed  oti  any  former  occasion, 
listened  to  him  with  an  intensely  agitated,  though 
profoundly  respectful,  interest  and  attention.  In  fact, 
so  great  was  the  etfect  produced  by  Te-cum-seh*g  elo- 
quence, that  the  chiefs  adjourned  the  council  shortly 
after  he  had  closed  bis  harangue;  nor  did  they  finair 
iy  come  tm  a  decision  on  the  great  question  in  debate 
for  several  days  afterwards."*  His  proposals  werfe, 
however,  in  the  end,  rejected. 

HuDter'8  MemoifSvp.  4fi? 


7:1 


•^^HBli  >u.,..4 


/  i 


^ 


'■^H'  FEELINGS  ARD  VIEWS 


^ 


"  Brothers^ — We  all  belong  to  one  family ;  we  art' 

all  childrcin  of  the  Great  Spirit ;  we  walk  in  the  same 

path;  slake  our  thirsfat  theisame  gpring;  afldtf  now 

afifairs  of  the  greatest  concern  lead$  us  to  smoke  the 

.  pipe  around  the  same  counciMre  V 

'.^roMer*,— We  are  friends  ;  we  must  assist  each 
other  to  bear  our  burthens.  The  bliod  of  many  of 
our  fathers  and  brothers  has  run  like  water  on  the 
ground,  tn  satisfy  the  avarice«  of  the  white  men. 
We,  ourselves,  are  threatened  with  a  great  evil ;  no- 
thing will  pacify  them  but  the  destruction  of  all  the 
red  man. 

**  Brothers, — When  the  white^en  fiwt  set  foot  on 
our  grounds,  they  ;vere  hungry  ;  they  had  no  place 
on  which  to  spread  flieir  blankets,  or  to  kindle  their 
Hres.  ThlCf|y  were  feeble*;  they  could  do  nothing  for 
themselves.  Our  fathers  commiserated  theiir' distress, 
atid  shared  freely  with  them  whatever  the  Great 
Spirit  hfd  given  his  red  children.  They  gave  them 
food  when  hungry,  medicipe  when  sick,  spread  skins 
fo^thlnn  to  sleep  on,  and  gave  them  grounds,  that 
they  might  hunt  and  raise  com. — Brothers,  the  white 
people  are  like  poisonous  serpents:  when  chilled, 
they  are  feeble  and  harmless ;  but  invigorate  them 
with  warmth,  and  4bey  sting  t|ieir  benefactors  to 
death. 

*'  The  white  peopl^came  among  us  feeble  ;  and 
now  we  have  made  them  strong,  they  wish  to  kill  us, 
or  drive  us  back,  as  they  would  Wolves  and  pan- 
thers. 

"  Brothers, — ^The  white  men  are  not  friends  to  the 
Indians :  at  first,  they  only  asked  for  land  sufficient 
for  a  wigWam  ;  now  nothing  will  satisfy  tkem  but  X\\t 
whole  of  our  hunting  grounds,  from  the  rising  to  the 
setting  sun. 

"  BrotherSf'-^The  white  men  want  more  than  our 
hunting  grounds ;  they  wish  to  kill  our  warrior^ ; 
they  would  even  kill  onr  old  men,  womeik,  and  jittle 
gties. 


01*  mil!  INDIANS  AT  PRESENT. 


•^ 


« 


'*  jBrothers, — Many  winters  ago,  there  was  no  land ; 
the  sun  did  not  rise  and  set :  all  wuf  darkness.  The 
Great  Spirit  made  all  things.  He  gave  the  white 
people  a  home  beyond  the  great  waters.  He  sup- 
plied these  grounds  witli  game,  and  gave  them  to  his 
red  children ;  and  he  gave  tiiem  strength  and  courage 
to  defend  them. 

**  Brothers f — -My  people  wish  for  peace ;  the  red 
men  all  wish  for  peace;  but  where  the  white  people 
are,  there  is  no  peace  for  them,  except  it  be  on  the 
bosom  of  our  mother. 

"  Brothers^ — The  ..  hite  men  despise  and  cheat  the 
Indians ;  they  abuse  and  insult  them ;  they  do  not 
think  the  red  men  sufficiently  good  to  live. 

*'The  red  men  have  borne  man.v  and  great  inju- 
ries ;  they  ought  lo  suiTer  them  no  longer.  My  peo- 
ple will  not ;  they  ere  determined  on  vengeance ; 
they  havt^  taken  up  the  tomahawk  :  they  will  make 
it  fat  with  blood;  they  will  drink  the  blood  of  the 
white  people.  ■<  , 

^^ Brothers y~^M.y  people  are  brave  and  numerous; 
but  the  white  people  are  too  strong  for  th^m  alone. 
I  wish  you  to  tsJu  up  the  tomahawk  witu  them.  If 
we  all  unite,  weTwiil  cause  the  rivers  to  stain  the 
great  waters  with  their  blood. 

^*  Brothers, — If  you  do  not  unite  with  us,  they 
will  first  destroy  us,  and  then  you  will  fall  an  easy 
prey  to  them.  They  have  destroyed  many  nations 
of  red  men  because  they  were  not  united,  because 
they  were  not  friends  to  each  other. 

^'Brothers, — ^The  white  people  send  runners  among 
us;  they  wish  to  make  us  enemies,  that  they  may 
sweep  over  and  desolate  our  hunting  grounds,  like 
devastating  winds,  or  rushing  waters. 

*^  Brothers, — Our  Great  Father,  over  the  great 
waters,  is  angry  with  the  white  people,  our  enemies. 
He  will  send  his  brave  warriors  against  them;  he. 
will  send  us  rifles,  and  whatever  else  we  want — he  is 
our  friend,  and  we  are  bis  children. 


1 


■0m 


mHAm 


•A 


FE£L1N08,  &:C.  OF    THE    INDlJiiiS* 


'"  Brothers^-^Who  are  the  white  people  that  wv 
should  fear  thera?  They  cannot  run  fast,  and  are 
good  marks  to  shoot  at :  they  are  only  men ;  our 
lathers  have  killed  many  of  them  :  we  are  not 
squaws,  and  we  will  stain  the  earth  ted  with  their 
blood. 

"  Brothers, — The  Great  Spirit  is  angry  with  our 
enemies ;  he  speaks  in  thunder,  and  the  earth  swal- 
lows up  villages,  and  drinks  up  the  Mississippi. 
The  great  waters  will  cover  their  lowlands;  their 
corn  cannot  grow ;  and  the  Great  Spirit  will  sweep 
those  who  escape  to  the  hills  from  the  earth  with  his 
terrible  breath. 

^^Brothers, — We  must  be  united  ;  we  must  smoke 
the  same  pip  ;  we  must  fight  each  others  battles; 
and  more  than  all,  we  must  love  the  Great  Spirit; 
he  is  for  us;  he  will  destroy  our  enemieS;,  and  make 
all  his  red  children  happy." 


■f^ 


\ 


s^ 


t^'f--   '■■■        ■•'•>«»!*■■ 


_^,.-^ 


.r 


63 


^§•^3' 


Vlt, 


CHAPTER  VI.       •* 

ATTACBHCKT    TO,    AND    EDUCATION   OF,    THEIR 
^  CHILDREN. 

In  consequence  mf  the  universal  sentiment  that  the 
Indians,  from   defect  of  intellect,  afe  incapable  ot 
civilization^  I  fully  determined  to  endeavour  to  pro- 
cure a  youi%  deserted  infant  (if  such  could  be  found) 
whom  I  would  have  taken  and  educated  with,    .id  as 
one  of  m)^own.     My  speoalations  on  this  plan  were, 
ho^wever,  frustrated ;  as  all  who  were  intimate  with 
the  Indians,  concurred   in   affirming  that  i6  obtain 
one  of  their  ^children  ^ould    be   impossible.      No 
emolument,  or  hope  of  advancement,  would  induce 
an  Indian  to  part  with  his  child.     What  an  exalted 
virtue  is  here  established !      People   who  are  es- 
teemed most  civilized,  most   refined,  have  very  dif- 
ferent feelings  as  to  their  offspring,  which  in  many 
instances  are  cast  ofl*  at  their  birth  to  be  nursed  by 
a  hireling;    alienated    from   their  early  home,  nnd 
abandoned  to  the  too  often  careless  guardianship  of 
an  academy ;  consigned  to  a  college,  where  if  they 
learn  something  of  Virgil  and  the  mathematics,  they 
also  get  initiated,  before  their  manhood,  into  every 
species  of  dissipation ;  and   finally  sent  to   remote 
parts  of  the  glob.e    (no  matter  where)  with  little,  if 
any,  regard  to  a  single  consideration  other  than  the 
acquirement  of  wealth.     How   few   of   the   duties 
obligatdry  on   parents  are    fulfilled  by  the  majority 
of  Christian  fathers  and  mothers  ! 

The  tender  solicitude  of  the  Indian  women,  in 
respect  to  their  children,  I  have  had  several  oppor- 
tuliities  of  witnessing;  but  it  was  never  .acre  com- 


I 


^.  •«1 


04 


ATTACBMENT  TO    aKO    EDUCATION 


1* 


¥ 


pletely  developcti  than  by  the   following  itocideot 
which  took  place  before  my  eyes. 

A  mother  with  an  infant  at  her  breast,  and  two 
other  children,  one  about  eleven  iMid  the  other  eight 
or  nine  years  of  age,  were  in  a  canoe  near*  a  mile 
from  land,  during  a  violent  tqnall.  The  windtcamc 
in  sudden  gusts,  and  the^waves  dushed  in  rapid  suc- 
cession over  the  frail  vessel.  The  ^  poor  woman, 
with  a  small  oar  in  one  hand  and  the  othiiK^surfound- 
ing  her  babe,  directed  the  two  yoiing«ooes,  who 
each  had  a  paddle,iio.get  the  bihd  of  the  «anoe  to 
ihe  wind  while  Vhe  squaK  lasted^,  v/hicb,  witli  much 
labour  on  the  part  of  these  tender  littje  mariners, 
aided  by  the  mother,  was  at  length  0kcteAi  but 
during  the  effort  it  was  very  touching  to  see  the 
strong  emotions  of  maternal  love,  evidenceijl  to  Jhe 
poor  infant  at  her  breast.  She  wcHild  clasp  H  lightly 
to  her  agitated  bosom,  then  cast  a  n^^ntary  look 
at  her  other  children,  and  with  an  anxious  and  steady 
gate,  Witch  the  coming  wave.  In  this  scene  were 
exhibited  such  high  degrees  of  fortitude,  dexterity, 
and  parental  affection,  that  I  could  have  wished 
many  of  our  civilized  mothers,  who  look  and  think 
with  contempt  on  the  poor  Indian,  had  beheld  her. 

This  tenderness  in  the  early  nurture  of  their  off- 
spring, is  followed  by  the  most  exact  care  in  their 
subsequent  education.  "It  may  justly  be  a  subject 
of  wonder,"  says  Mr.  Heckewelder,  **  how  a  nation, 
without  a  written  rode  of  laws  or  system  of  jurispru- 
dence, without  any  form  or  constitution  of  govern- 
ment, and  without  even  a  single  elective  or  hereditary 
magistrate,  can  subsist  together  in  peace  and  harmo- 
ny, and  in  the  exercise  of  the  moral  virtues ;  how  a 
people  can  be  well  and  effectuall}'  governed,  without 
any  external  authority,  by  the  mere  force  of  the 
ascendancy  which  men  of  superior  minds  have  over 
those  of  a  more  ordinary  stamp ;  by  a  tacit,  yet  uni- 
versal submission  to  the  aristocracy  of  experiei^e, 
talents,  and  virtue!     Such,  nevertheless,  is  the  spec-^ 


s 


.aiiB*y.-7yg^...T.'  "LJiiiimwi.'' 


^'' 


-r   -^  - 


sscrrsa 


"9^-^  OF  THBIII  CRILDMIK. 


65 


tacle  which  an  Indian  nation  exhibit!  to  the  eye  of  n 
stranger.  I  have  been  a  witness  to  it  for  a  long  se- 
riei  of  years,  and  aftei  much  observation  and  reflec* 
tion  to  discover  the  cause  of  this  phenomenoOi  I 
think  I  have  reason  to  be  satisfied  that  it  is  in  a  great 
degree  to  be  ascribed  to  the  pains  which  the  Indians 
take  to  instil  at  an  early  age  honest  and  virtuous 
principles  upon  the  minds  of  their  children,  and  to  the 
method  which  they  pursue  in  educating  them.  This 
method  I  will  not  call  a  system,  for  systems  are  on> 
known  to  these  sons  of  nature,  who,  by  following- 
alone  her  dictates,  have,  at  once  discovered,  and  fol- 
low without  effort,  that  plain  obvious  path  which  the 
philosophers  of  Europe  have  been  so  long  in  search 
of."*  • 

The  manner  of  this  education  is  described  by  our 
good  missionary  as  follows : — 

"  The  first  step  that  parents  take  towards  the  ed« 
ucation  of  their  children,  is  to  prepare  them  for  fu- 
ture happiness,  by  impressing  upon  their  tender 
minds,  that  they  are  indebted  for  their  existence  to  a 
great,  good,  and  benevolent  Spirit,  who  not  only  has 
given  them  life,  but  has  ordained  them  for  certain 
great  purposes.  That  he  has  given  them  a  fertile  ex- 
tensive country,  well  stocked  with  game  of  every  kind 
for  their  subsistence ;  and  that  by  one  of  his  inferi- 
or spirits  he  has  also  sent  down  to  them  from  above, 
corn,  pumpkins,  squashes,  beans  and  other  vegeta- 
bles for  their  nourishment ;  all  which  blessings  their 
ancestors  have  enjoyed  for  a  great  number  o^  ages. 
That  this  great  Spirit  looks  down  upon  the  Indians^ 
to  see  whether  they  are  grateful  to  him  and  make 
him  a  due  return  for  the  many  benefits  he  has  be* 
stowed,  and  therefore  that  it  is  their  duty  to  show 
their  thankfulness  by  worshipping  him,  and  doing 
that  which  is  pleasing  in  his  sight.  « 

*  Heckeweld«r*B  Hutorical  Account,  |>.  98. 
VOL.  I»  f> 


66 


ATTACHMEjNT   TO   AND   EDUCATION 


1 


m 


n 


t  "  This  is  in  substance  the  first  lesson  tau|;ht,  and 
from  time  to  time  repeated  to  the  Indian  children, 
which  naturally  leads  them  to  reflect  and  gradually 
to  understand  that  a  Being  which  hath  done  such 
great  things  for  them,  and  all  to  make  them  happy, 
roust  be  good  indeed,  and  that  it  is  surely  their  duty 
to  do  something  that  will  please  him.  They  are 
then  told  that  their  ancestors,  who  received  all  this 
from  the  hands  ot  the  Great  Spirit,  and  lived  in 
the  enjoyment  of  it,  must  have  been  informed 
of  what  would  be  most  pleasing  to  this  good  Being, 
and  of  the  manner  in  which  his  favour  could  be 
most  surely  obtained,  and  they  are  directed  to  look 
up  for  instruction  to  those  who  know  all  this,  to  learn 
from  them,  and  revere  them  for  their  wisdom  and  the 
knowledge  which  they  possess ;  this  creates  in  the 
children  a  strong  sentiment  of  respect  for  their  eld- 
ers, and  a  desire  to  follow  their  advice  and  example. 
Their  young  ambition  is  then  excited  by  telling  them 
that  they  were  made  the  superiors  of  all  other  crea- 
/tures,  and  are  to  have  power  over  them  ;  great  pains 
are  taken  to  make  this  feeling  take  an  early  root, 
and  it  becomes,  in  fact,  their  ruling  passion  through 
life ;  for  no  pains  are  spared  to  instil  into  them,  that  by 
following  the  advice  of  the  most  admired  and  extolled 
hunter,  trapper,  or  warrior,  they  will  at  a  future  day 
acquire  a  degree  of  fame  and  reputation,  equal  lo 
that  which  he  possesses ;  that  by  submitting  to  the 
counsels  of  the  aged,  the  chiefs,  the  men  superior  in 
wisdom,  they  may  also  rise  to  glory,  and  be  called 
Wise  men^  an  honourable  title,  to  which  no  Indian  is 
Jndiflercfit.  They  are  finally  told  that  if  they  respect 
the  aged  and  infirm,  and  arc  kind  and  obliging  to 
them,  they  will  be  treated  in  the  same  manner  when 
their  turn  comes  to  feel  the  infirmities  of  old  age. 

"When  this  first  and  most  important  lesson  is 
thought  to  be  suifficiently  Impressed  upon  children's 
minds,  the  parents  next  proceed  to  make  them  sensi- 
ble of  the  distinction  letwetn  good  and  evil ;  they 


,>    '*    '-    •— T         '•'"•^  ♦*'.i*t  ^ 


-     ^  " 


»•«.  <  ■    iiiir 


'»(■ 


ifW^  OF  THEIR  CHILDREN. 


G7 


*! 


tell  them  that  there  are  good  and  bad  actions,  both 
equally  open  to  them  to  do  or  commit ;  tiiat  good 
acts  are  pleasing  to  the  good  Spirit  which  gave  them 
their  existence,  and  that  on  the  contrary,  all  that  is 
bad  proceeds  from  the  bad  spirit  who  has  given  them 
nothing,  and  who  cannot  give  them  any  thing  that  is 
good,  because  he  has  it  not,  and  therefore  he  envies 
them  that  which  they  have  received  from  the  good 
Spirit,  who  is  far  superior  to  the  bad  one. 

"This  introductory  lesson,  if  it  may  be  so  called, 
naturally  makes  them  wish  to  know  what  is  good  and 
what  is  bad.  This  the  parent  teaches  them  in  his 
own  way  ;  that  is  to  say,  in  the  way  in  which  he  was 
himself  taught  by  his  own  parents.  It  is  not  the  les- 
son of  an  hour  nor  of  a  day,  it  is  rather  a  long 
course  more  of  practical  than  of  theoretical  instruc- 
tion; a  lesson,  which  is  not  repeated  at  stated  sea- 
sons or  times,  but  which  is  shown,  pointed  out,  and 
demonstrated  to  the  child,  not  only  by  those  under 
whose  immediate  guardianship  he  is,  but  by  the  whole 
community,  who  consider  themselves  alike  inte- 
rested in  the  direction  to  be  given  to  the  rising  ge^ 
neration. 

"  When  this  instruction  is  given  in  the  form  of  pre- 
cepts, it  must  not  be  supposed  that  it  is  done  in  an 
authoritative  or  forbidding  tone,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
in  the  gentlest  and  most  persuasive  manner  :  nor  is 
the  parent's  authority  ever  supported  by  harsh  or 
compulFive  means ;  no  whips,  no  punishments,  no 
thr<;at8  are  ever  used  to  enforce  commands  or  com- 
pel vibedience.  The  child's  pride  is  the  feeling  to 
which  an  appeal  is  made,  which  proves  successful  in 
almost  every  instance.  A  father  needs  only  to  say 
in  the  pfesence  of  his  children  '  I^want  such  a  thing 
done ;  I  want  one  of  my  children  to  go  upon  such  an 
errand ;  let  me  see  who  is  the ^oo<^  child  that  will  do 
it !'  This  word  good  operates,  as  it  were,  by  magic, 
and  the  children  imraediately  vie  with  each  other  to 
comply  with  the  wishes  of  their  parent.     If  a  father 


e§ 


ATTACHMENT  TO   AND   EDUCATION 


sees  an  old  decrepit  mau  or  woman  pass  by,  Ud 
along  by  a  child,  he  will  draw  the  attention  of  his 
own  children  to  the  object  by  saying,  *  What  a  good 
child  that  must  be,  which  pays  such  attention  to  the 
aged !  That  child,  indeed,  looks  forward  to  the  time 
when  it  will  likewise  be  old  !*  or  he  will  say,  *  May 
the  great  Spirit,  who  looks  upon  him,  grant  this 
good  child  a  long  life  !' 

'*  In  this  manner  of  bringing  up  children,  the  pa- 
rents, as  I  have  already  said,  are  seconded  by  the 
whole  community.  If  a  child  is  sent  from  his  father's 
dwelling  to  carry  a  dish  of  victuals  to  an  aged  per- 
son, all  '\i  the  house  will  join  in  calling  him  a  good 
child.  They  will  ask  whose  child  he  is,  and  on  bdng 
told,  will  exclaim,  what !  has  the  Tortoiset  or  the  IjitUc 
Bear,  (as  the  father's  name  may  be)  got  such  a  good 
child  f  If  a  child  is  seen  passing  through  the  streets 
leading  an  old  decripit  person,  the  villagers  will  in 
his  hearing,  and  to  encourage  all  the  other  children 
who  may  be  present  to  take  example  from  him,  call 
on  one  another  fo  look  on  and  see  what  a  good  child 
that  must  be.  And  so,  in  must  instances,  this  me- 
thod is  resorted  to,  for  the  purpose  of  instructing 
children  in  things  that  are  good,  proper,  or  honoura- 
ble in  themselves ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  when 
a  child  has  committed  a  bad  act,  the  parent  will  say 
to  him,  '  O !  how  grieved  I  am  that  my  child  has 
done  this  bad  act !  I  hope  he  will  never  do  so  again.* 
This  is  generally  effectual,  particularly  if  said  in 
the  presence  of  others.  The  whole  of  the  Indian 
plan  of  education  tends  to  elevate  rather  than  depress 
the  mind,  and  by  that  means  to  make  determined  hun- 
ters and  fearless  warriors. 

*'  Thus,  when  a  lad  has  killed  his  first  gafne,  such 
as  a  deer  br  ty  bear,  parents  who  have  boys  growing 
up  will  not  fail  to  say  to  some  person  in  the  presence 
c'' their  own  children,  ''That  boy  must  have  listen- 
ed attentively  to  the  aged  hunters,  for,  though  so 
young,  he  has  already  given  a  proof  that  he  will  be- 


•«i- 


^^     ox  THEIR  CHILDREN. 


6D 


come  a  goo']  hunteriiimself.'  If,  on  the  other  hand, 
a  young  man  should  fail  of  giving  such  a  proof,  it 
will  b,e  said  of  him  *  that  he  did  not  pay  attention  to 
the  discourses  of  the  aged.' 

^"  In  this  indirect  manner  is  instruction  on  all  sub- 
jects given  to  the  young  people.  They  are  to  learn 
the  arts  of  hunting,  trapping,  and  making  war,  by 
listening  to  the  aged  when  conversing  together  on 
those  subjects ;  each  Iin  his  turn  relating  aow  he 
acted ;  and  opportunities  are  afforded  to  them  for 
that  purpose.  By  this  mode  of  instructing  youth, 
their  respect  for  the  aged  is  kept  alive,  and  it  is  in- 
creased by  the  reflection  that  the  same  respeci  will 
be  paid  to  them  at  a  future  day,  when  young  persons 
will  be  attentive  to  what  they  shall  relate. 

"  This  method  of  conveying  instruction  is,  I  be- 
lieve, common  to  most  Indian  nations ;  it  is  so,  at 
least,  amongst  all  those  that  I  have  become  ac- 
quainted with,  and  lays  the  foundation  for  that  volun- 
tary submission  to  their  chiefs,  for  which  they  are  so 
remarkable.  Thus  has  been  maintained  for  ages, 
without  convulsions  and  without  civil  discords,  this 
traditional  government,  of  which  the  world,  perhaps, 
does  not  offer  another  example ;  a  government  in 
which  there  are  no  positive  laws,  but  only  long  esta- 
blished habits  and  customs  $  no  code  of  jurispru- 
dence, but  the  experience  of  former  times ;  no  magis- 
trates, but  advisers,  to  whom  the  people,  neverthe^ 
less,  pay  a  willing  and  implicit  obedience,  in  which 
age  confers  rank,  wisdom  gives  power^nd  moral 
goodness  secures  a  title  to  universal  respect.  All 
this  seems  to  be  effected  by  the  simple  means  of  an 
excellent  mode  of  education,  by  which  a  strong  at- 
tachment to  ancient  customs,  respect  for  age,  and  the 
love  of  virtue  are  indelibly  impressed  upon  the  minas 
of  youth,  so  that  these  impressions  acquire  strength 
as  time  pursues  its  course,  and  as  they  pass  tbrouigh 
successive  generations.''  ^ 

6* 


t- 


'it. 


<natato- 


*tfHmfi>»Hmij 


i* 


70 


-3&1 


'ii.ij^:'M*-'W^t'*/^f-'- 


CHAPTER  VII. 


SCNSIBILITT — GRATITUDE' — CRUEL    CONDUCt    EXER- 
CISED TOWARDS  THE  INDIANS. 

In  parsing  down  the  St.  Lawrence  in  the  summer 
of  1819, 1  stopped  'my  batteaux  at  a  tavern  where  I 
proposed  to  remain  all  night.  Two  squaws  were 
there  with  a  basket  of  wild  strawberrief*  for  sale,  and 
t  directed  the  mistress  of  the  tavern  to  purchase 
some  that  I  might  have  them  with  cream  for  my 
supper. '  It  was  soon,  however,  to  be  perceived  by 
the  conversation  in  bargaining,  that  my  landlady  and 
the  Indian  women  could  not  come  to  terms.  There 
seamed  to  be  much  harshness  in  the  manner  of  the 
former ;  but  the  replies  of  the  latter  were  so  meek, 
and  their  demeanour  so  submissive,  that  bad  I  been 
making  the  bargain  under  the'impression  of  my  feel- 
ings, few  words  would  have  been  neces^^ary.  The 
christian  purchaser,  ha<wever,  continued  so  extor- 
lionate  in  her  demands,  that  the  poor  disappointed 
heathens  turned  away  from  her.  Truly  unreasonable 
indeed  must  the  lady  have  been,  for  there  was  nei- 
ther tillage,  nor  other  house  near  likely  to  4ifford  a 
floiltket  for  the  poor  Indian  hawkers,  who  it  seemed 
had  come  fb  this  very  tavern  with  the  hope  of  telling 
their  fruit.  Under  this  impression  I  followed  the 
poor  women,  put  a  small  sum  into  the  hands  of  one 
of  them,  and  hastily  passed  on,  while  they  gated  at 
me  with  gstpnishmcnt  at  so  unexpected  a  largess, 
for  so  it  appisired  to  them.  On  my  return  from  a 
walk  along  the  river,  I  was  surprised  to  see  the  two 
squaws  standing  at  the  corner  of  the  house  patiently 
waiting  for  me;  when,  with  eyes  sparkling  with 
fftnotions    which    I  could   not  misunderstand,  but 


r'TiS?t»f.i;?tr!*'i«,»r,-r-vr-  -Bj>i 


CONDUCT  TOWABbs  T0*5  INDUNS. 


71 


which  I  am  incapable  of  portraying,  they  presented 
me  with  a  bowl  top-full  of  picked  strawberries,  which 
I  rejected  at  first,  being  desirous  of  convincing 
them  there  were  some,  if  not  many,  white  men  who 
felt  kindly  towardi  them.  But  their  expression  of 
entreaty  was  so  vehement,  their  importunity  so  great, 
that  I  felt  it  necessary,  to«  their  happiness  to  accept 
their  present,  for  they  had  no  otBer  way  of  showing 
their  gratitude.  This  humble  offering  furnished  my 
supper,  and  sweet  indeed  would  my»meal  have  been, 
had  not  commiseration  for  the  wrongs  of  these  sorely 
abused,  persecuted,  forlorn,,  and  abandoned  people, 
mingled  withvmy  enjoyment.  I  am  so  fully  impressed 
with  their  unde^ervedrmisery,  and  with  the  nobleness 
of  their  character^  that  I  should  esteem  (he  >  devotion 
of  my  life  in  their  cause  the  mobi.  honourable  way  in 
which  it  could  be  employed ;  but  alas,  years  and  cir- 
cdmstances  prevent  my  doing  more  than  making  this 
feeble  effort  to  rousie  the  energies  of  youthful  talent 
in  their  behalf;  and  as'  benevolence  pervades  the 
youthful  mind  rabre  powerfully  than  that  of  the  aged, 
I  am  not  without  a  hope  that4housands  will  yet  start 
up  to  advocate  the  cause  of  the  Red  inditinSj .  and 
prosecute  measures  for  the  amelioration  of  Iheir 
state.  •      ■  ^  '       ■^.:,- .  -• 

The  above  instance  of  want  of  charity,  nay,  of 
common  decency  on  the  part  of  white  people  in  their 
intercourse  with  the  Indians,  is  not  by  any  means  of 
rare  occurrence.  My  reader  will  already  have  seen 
the  complaints  and  pathetic  appeals  to  justice  which 
the  poor  children  of  the  wilderness  are  so  frequently 
compelled,  by  the  treachery  of  their  civiliied  neigh- 
bours, to  make ;  and  I  am  sorry  to  add  another  spe- 
cimen to  the  long  Hst  of  these  atrocious  outrages, 
which,  in  large  and  petty  aggressions,  is  daily 
.swelling  and  becoming  more  and  more  enormous. 
In  passing,  on  the  very  day  1  have  just  adverted  to, 
through  the  thousand  islands,  one  of  the  boatmen 
wiio  were.rowing  roe,  haljooed  to  ^  canoe  in  which 


*»v 


7i 


CBCrEL  CONIK}OT  EXERCISEP 


;  f- 


i 


\ 


some  Indians  were  fishing,  who  immediately  camt 
towards  us,  and  a  barter  commenced  between  tliem 
and  the  boatmen.    The  boatmen  held  up  a  piece  of 
(y>ld  pork  and  a  loaf,  for  which  they  were  to  receive 
llsh.     The  poor  young  Indians^  (for  the  eldest  was 
not  above   fourteen,  and  there  were  two  little  girls 
younger)  showed  what^Mi  they  would  give;  yet 
w  arily  kept  at  ^  distance,  fearing  wi*at;  in  spite  of 
their  precaution,  actually  took  place.    The  boatmen 
struck  suddenly  at  the  caiioe  with  their  oars,  and  in 
the  confusion  which  this  attack  caused,  grasped  the 
fidij  the  bread  and  pork  they. at  first  oSered  were, 
I  need  hardly  say,  withheld.     Having  achieved  this 
noble  enterppse  they  shouted  and  assailed  the  unre- 
sisting apd  defenceless  children  (who  paddled  Cu  evi- 
dently tearful  of  further  outrage,)  with  taunts  and 
mockery,     These  raen^  were  Canadians ;  there  were 
four  of  them  ;  and  Tliad  no  other  means  of  punishing 
them^  on  this  occasion  than  b^  withholding  the  usual 
pecuniary  fee.     I   was  in  some  measure  at   their 
mercy  ;  but  though  compelled  to  be. a  calm  specta- 
tor of  so  dastardly  a  theft,  1  confess  I  was  still  more 
incensed  at  feeing  how  heartily  some  inhabitants  of 
Canada,  ivho  were  my  fellow-passengers^,  seemed  to 
enjoy , tint' joke.     The,  fact  is,  the  Indians  are  esteem- 
ed lawful  prey.     Such  is  the  feeling  of  thousands  of 
m?u  called  christians,  who  boast  of  civilization,  but 
who  derive  their  subsistence  by  intercourse  with  the 
Indians ;  and  however  Just  many  in  the  United  States 
are,  and  however  careful  the  British  government  is  to 
guard  the  rights  of  the  red  men,  yet  as  this  guardian- 
ship is  chiefly  committed  lo  those  who  are  partakers 
in  the  spoils  of  the  Indianii,  the  care,  instead  of  being 
wise  and  benign,  is  rather  Jo  debauch  their  untutored 
minds  by  the  introduction  of  spirits  among   them. 
Every  cup  to  them  is  indeed  **  unblessed,  i^nd  the  in 
gredient  is  a  devil !"     Gradually,  therefore,  are  they 
diminishing,  and  receding  from  the  haunts  of  what  we 
term  civilization  !    That  this  charge  dyes  not  apply 


"r''r:^*'',^n  imiTig."  -rnrm 


>II|H>  II  ».  W  I    ii|P>^> 


T0WABD8  TBS  llmikVS, 


ts 


to  all,  and  rarelj  to  the  heads  of  these  departmentf ., 
I  rejoice  to  admit ;  but  still  those  heads  of  depart- 
ments are  responsible  for  all  the  acts  of  their  subor- 
dinate agents,  and  should  exercise  a  vigilant  superin- 
tendence, impartially  punishing  any,  the  leas^  in- 
fringement of  their  regulations.  No  man  should  be 
connected  with  the  Indian  department  who  is  direct- 
ly or  indirectly  interested  in  trade  with  the  Indians. 

I  will  not  (ieclaim  on  this  subject,  but  let  the  fol- 
lowing facts,  derived  from  Mr.  Heckewelder's  ac- 
count,  peak  Ibr  thero8;.>lves. 

**  In  the  summer  of  the  year  1763,  some  friendly 
Indians  from  a  distant  place,  came  to  Bethlehem  to 
dispose  of  their  peltry  for  manufactured  goods  and 
necessary  implements  of  husbandry.  •  Returning 
home  well  satisfied,  they  put  up  the  first  night  at  a 
tavern,  eight  miles  distant.*  The  landlord  not  being 
at  home,  his  wi^  took  the  liberty  of  encouraging  the 
people  who  frequented  her  house  for  the  sake  of  drink- 
ing, to  abuse  those  Indians,  adding,  that  she  would 
freely  give  a  gallon  of  rum  to  any  one  of  them  that 
should  kill  one  of  those  black  devils.  Other  white 
people  from  the  neighbourhood  came  in  during  the 
night,  who  also  drank  freely,  made  a  gieat  d^al  of 
noise,  and  increased  the  fears  of  those  poor  IndianSg 
who,  for  the  greatest  part,  understanding  English, 
could  not  but  suspect  that  something  bad  was  in- 
tended against  their  persons.  They  were  not,  how*" 
ever,  otherwise  disturbed  ;  but  in  the  morning,  when, 
after  a  restless  night  they  were  preparing  to  set  ofl*, 
they  found  themselves  robbed  of  some  of  the  most  va- 
luable articles  they  had  purchased,  and  on  mention- 
ing this  tc  a  man  who  appeared  to  be  the  bar-keeper, 
they  were  <;irdered  to  leave  the  house.  Not  being  wil- 
ling to  lose  so  much  property,  they  retired  to  some 

*"  This  r«latioii  ii  aathentiot  I  have  received  ittiayt  Mr.  Hecke- 
welder,  from  the  mouth  of  the  chief  of  the  injured  party,  and  his 
statement  was  ooafirmed  by  communicaticns  made  at  the  time  by 
two  respectable  mag^btrates  of  the  countjr. 


I 


-Ir 


'}        .S 


I) 


n 


OBUCL  CONDUCT  EXERCISED 


distance  into  the  woods,  where,  some  of  them  retnain-* 
ing  with  W^hat  wds  led  them,  the  others  returned  to 
Bethlel'ieui  and  lodged  their  complaint  with  a  justice 
of  r*  e  peace.  The  magistrate  gave  them  a  letter  to 
the  the  landlord,  pressing  birii  without  delay  to  re&tore 
to  the  Indians  the  goods  thut  had  been  taken  from 
them.  But  behold  !  when  they  delivered  flmt  letter 
to  the  people  at  the  inn  they  were  told  in  answer, 
*  that  if  they  set  any  value  on  their  lives,  they  must 
make  Nff  Vuh  themielves  immediately'  They  well 
i^-  xoodthat  they  had  no  other  alternative,  and 
■  ;  s  Hy  departed  without  having  received  back 
\  i\*3eir  goods.  Arrived  at  Nescopeck  on  the 
Susqueh.  ih,  they  fell  in  with  some  other  Dela- 
wares,  who  had  been  treated  much  in  the  same  man- 
ner, one  of  them  having  had  his  rifle  stolen  from  him. 
Here  th;.-  two  parties  agreed  to  take  revenge  in  their 
own  way,  for  those  insults  and  robberies  for  which 
they  could  obtain  no  redress  ;  and  th^t  they  deter- 
mined to  ci'o  as  soon  as  war  should  be  again  declared 
by  their  nation  against  the  English. 

"  Scarcely  had  these  Indians  retired,  when  in  ano- 
ther place,  about  fourteen  miles  distant  from  the  for- 
mer, one  man,  two  women  and  a  child,  all  quiet  In- 
dians, were  murdered  in  a  most  wicked  and  barbarous 
manner,  by  drunken  militia  officers  and  their  men, 
for  the  purpose  of  getting  their  horse  and  the  goods 
they  had  just  purchased.^  One  of  the  women,  fal- 
ling on^  her  knees,  begged  in  vain  for  the  life  of  her- 
self ftnd  her  child,  while  the  other  woman  seeing  what 
was  doing,  made  her  escape  to  the  barn,  where  she 
endeavoured  to  hide  herself  on  the  top  of  the  grain. 
She  however  was  discovered,  and  inhumanly  thrown 
down  on  the  thrashing  floor  with  such  force  that  her 
brains  flew  oat. 

**  Here,  then,  were  insults,  robberies  and  murders, 
all  coiiimitlii  within  the  short  space  of  three  months, 

,    '^  Justice  Getger's  letter  fojustice  Honefield  proreB  thiB  fiict. 


•r^ 


III.   jWHWgj.ji 


,jjrOWABD8  THE  INDXAMB. 


7ff 


unatoned  for  and  anreveoged.  There  was  no  pvpff?* 
peot  of  ohtait^Qg  redress ;  the  survivors  were  tber»* 
for^  obUffe(^tP;Seek  some^other  means  to  obtain  re- 
venge. Ttiisjr  did  So;  the  Indians,  already  exaspe* 
rated  against  the  English  in  consequence  of  repeated 
outrages,  jsnd  considering  the  nation  as  responsible 
for  the  injuries  ii^hich  it  did  neither  prevent  or  pujiisb, 
an^for  which  it  did  not  even  offer  to  make  any  kind 
of  reparation,  at  last  declared  war,  and  then  the  in- 
jured^arties  were^  liberty  to  redress  themselves  for 
the  wrongs  they  had  suffered.  They  immediately 
started  against  ti;e  objects  of,  their.  Ufgred,  and  find*- 
ing  their  way  unseen  and  undiscovered,  tp  the  ion 
which  had  been  the  scene  of  the  first  outrage,  they 
attacked^  it  at  d^yrbreak,  fired  unto,  it  on  the  peoole 
within  .who  were  lying,  on  their  beds.  Strang  tr 
relate !  the  murderers  of  the  man,  two  womer.  i^nv 
child,  were  among  them.  They  were  m.^'Ally 
wounded,  and  died  of  their  wounds  shortly  aftc^  a  ay  da* 
The  Indians,  afler  leaving  this  house,  murdorei,  by 
accident  an  innocent  family,  having  mist  ^n  the 
house  that  they  meant  to  attack,  after  which  %.n<.y  re- 
turned to  their  homes.  <<> 

"  Now  a  violent  hue  and  cry  was  raised  against 
the  lodians^T^Po  language  was  too  bad,  no  crimen  too 
black  to  brand  them  with.  No  faith  was  to  be  placed 
in  those  savages  ;  treaties  with  them  were  of  no  ef- 
fect ;  they  ought  to  be  cut  off  from  the  face  of  the 
earth  !  Such  was  the  language  at  that  time  inevery 
body's  mouth;  the  newspapers  were  filled  with  ac- 
counts of  the  cruekics  of  the  Indians  ;  a  variety  of 
false  reports  were  circulated  in  order  to  rouse  the 
people  against  them  ;^  vabile  they,  the  really  injured 
party,  having  no  printing  presses  among'^  themy  could 
not  make  known  the  story  of  their  grievances. 

**  ^  r^o  faith  can  be  placed  in  what  the  Indians  pro- 
mise at  treaties ;  for  scarcely  is  a  treaty  concluded 
than  they  are  again  murdering  us.'  Such  is  our 
complaiol  against  these  unfortunate  people;  but  they 


\ 


a 


T 


i 


V    • 


'f 


m 


no 


» "^''i 


^,  W\  '^t'M^^r^^^f 


iiiaii>ihg^winil^.aiiii  Mfwiing  Mr 

your  life,  ikl^  ihoiild  yma  find  tpftt  the  bwi^yowr 
c<Hiiitry  n«E^  reach  yom  mbfutjMnmm,  ymMre 
Qtdy  to  efcep  or  cooeeal  yoHnelr  lor  a  while  until 
thr  stora  hes  bloiro  over !  I  well  recollect  the  time 
wheftMihieyei  eod  mardeiKrf  of  lodiaot  fled  fiesealw? 


1^' 


TOWARDS  THE  INDIANS. 


7T 


pending  punishment  across  the  Susquehannah  wiiere 
they  considered  themselves  s&t'e ;  on  which  account 
this  river  had  the  name  given  to  it  of '  the  rogues^  ri- 
ver.* I  have  heard  other  /ivers  called  by  similar 
names. 

"  In  the  year  1742,  the  Reverend  Mr.  Whitefield 
ofiered  the  Nnzareth  Manor  (as  it  was  then  called) 
tor  sale  to  the  United  Brethren.  He  had  already 
begun  to  build  upon  it  a  spacious  stone  house,  in- 
tended as  a  schuni-house  for  the  education  of  Indian 
children.  The  Indians,  in  the  meanwhile,  loudly 
exclaimed  against  the  white  people  for  settling  in  this 
part  of  the  country,  which  had  not  yet  been  legally 
purchased  of  them,  but,  as  they  said,  had  been  ob- 
tained by  fraud.*  The  Brethren  declined  purchasing 
any  lauds  on  which  the  Indian  title  had  not  been 
properly  extinguished,  wishing  to  live  in  peace  with 
all  the  Indians  around  them.  Count  Zinzendorfl 
happened  at  that  time  to  arrivn  in  the  country ;  he 
found  that  the  agents  of  the  proprietors  would  not 
pay  to  the  Indians  the  price  which  they  asked  for 
for  that  tract  of  land  ;  he  paid  them  out  of  his  pri- 
vate purse  the  whole  of  the  demand  which  they  made 
in  the  height  of  their  ill  temper,  and  moreover  gave 
them  permission  to  abide  on  the  land,  at  their  vil- 
lage, (where,  by  the  by,  they  had  a  fine  large  peach 
orchard,)  as  lung  ns  they  should  think  proper.  But 
among  those  white  men,  who  afterwards  came  and 
settled  in  the  neighbouriiood  of  their  tract,  there 
were  some  who  were  enemies  to  the  Indians  ;  and  a 
young  Irishman,  without  cause  or  provocation,  mur- 
dered their  good  and  highly  respected  chief,  Tademi, 
a  man  of  such  an  easy  and  friendly  address,  that  he 
could  not  but  be  loved  by  all  who  knew  him.  This, 
together  with  the  threats  of  other  persons  ill  dispo- 
sed towards  them,  was  the  cause  of  their   leaving 

*  Alluding  to  what  was  at  that  time  kuowo  by  the  name  of  th« 
ijbng  dayU  walk. 

Vol.  I.  7 


i) 


I 


vJ 


i 


'  i'-; 


78 


CRUEL  CONDUCT  EXCBCISED 


the  settlement  on  this  manor,  and  removing  to  places 
of  greater  safety. 

It  is  true,  that  when  flagrant  cases  of  this  descri[>" 
tlon  occurred,  the  government,  before  the  revolution, 
issued  proclamations  ofl'ering  rewards  fur  appre- 
hending the  ofleuders  ;  and  in  later  times,  since  the 
country  hat>  become  more  thickly  settled,  those  who 
had  been  guilty  of  sui^h  offences  were  brought  before 
the  tribunals  to  take  their  trials.  But  these  formali- 
ties have  proved  of  little  avail.  In  the  first  case,  the 
criminals  were  seldom,  if  ever,  apprehended;  in  the 
second,  no  jury  could  be  found  to  convict  them  ;  for 
it  was  no  nnr<  luroon  saying  among  many  of  the  men 
of  whom  jurif  8  in  the  frontier  countries  were  com- 
m  jnly  composed,  that  no  man  should  bo  put  to 
death  for  killing  an  Indian ;  for  it  was  the  same 
thing  as  killing  a  wild  beast ! 

^*In  iiie  course  of  the  revolutionary  war,  in  which 
(as  in  all  civil  commotions)  brother  was  seen  fight- 
ing against  brother,  and  friend  against  friend,  a 
party  of  Indian  warriors,  with  whom  one  of  those 
white  men,  who,  under  colour  of  attachment  to  their 
king,  indulged  in  every  sort  of  crimes,  was  going 
out  against  the  settlers  on  the  Ohio,  to  kill  and  de- 
stroy as  they  had  been  ordered.  The  chief  of  the 
expedition  had  given  strict  orders  not  to  molest  any 
of  the  white  men  who  lived  with  their  friends  the 
Christian  Itidians  ;  yet,  as  they  passed  near  a  set- 
tlement of  these  converts,  the  white  man,  unmindful 
of  the  ordprs  he  had  received,  attempted  to  shoot 
two  of  tlir  Missionaries  who  were  planting  potatoes 
in  their  field,  and  though  the  captain  warned  him  to 
desist,  he  still  obstinately  persisted  in  his  attempt. 
The  chief,  in  anger,  immediately  took  his  gun  from 
him,  and  kept  him  under  guard  until  they  had 
reached  a  considerable  distance  from  the  place.  I 
.have  received  this  account  from  the  chief  himself, 
who  on  his  return  sent  word  to  the  Missionaries 
that  they  would  do  well  not  to  go  far  from  home 


as 


-«(•»«. 


TOW/RDS    TUK    INDIANS. 


?4\* 


o  places 

descrijh 
volution, 
appre- 
since  the 
lose  who 
ht  befor/e 
;  formaiU 

case,  the 
d;  in  the 
hem ;  for 
f  the  men 
vere  com- 
ic put  to 
the  same 

in  which 
lecn  fight- 
friend,  a 
e  of  those 
nt  to  their 
vas  going 
U  and  d«- 
ief  of  llie 
nolest  any 
friends  the 
near  a  set- 
unmindful 
d  to  shoot 
g  potatoes 
ned  him  to 
lis  attempt, 
gun  from 
they  had 
I  place.     I 
ef  himself, 
Missionaries 
from  home 


as  they  were  in  too  great  danger  from  the  whitt 
people. 

"  Another  white   man  of  the    same    description, 
whom  1  well  knew,  related  with  a  kind  of  barbarous 
exultation,  on  his  return  to  Detroit  from  a  war  ex- 
cursioa  with  the  Indians  in  which  he  had   been  en- 
gaged, that  tiie  party  with  which  he  was,  having 
taken  a  woman  prison^T  who  had  a  sucking  f)abe  at 
her  breast,  he  tried  to  persuade  the  indinns  to  kill  the 
child,  lest  its  cries  should  discover  the   place  where 
tbey  were;  t!ie  Indinns  were  unwilling  to  commit  the 
deed,  on   which  the  white  man   at  ouce  Jumped   up, 
tore  tiie  child  from  its   mother's  arms,  and  taking  it 
by  the  legs  dashed  its  head  against  a  tree,  so  thai  the 
brains  flew  out  all  arou  d.     The  monster  in  relating 
Uiis  story    said,    'The   little   dog  all  the  time  was 
making  wee  /'     Me  added,  that  if  he  were  sure  that 
his  old  father,  who  some  time  before  had  died  in  Old 
V^irginia,  would,  if  he  had  lived  longer,  have  turned 
rebel,  he  would  go  all  the  way  into  Virginia,  raise  the 
body,  and  take  oil'  his  scalp  ! 

"  Let  us  now  contrast  with  this  the  conduct  of  the 
Indians.  Carver  tells  us  in  his  travels  tvith  what 
moderation,  humanir y  and  delicacy  they  treat  female 
prisoners,  and  particularly  pregnant  women.*  i 
refer  the  reader  to  the  following  fact,  as  an  instance 
of  their  conduct  in  such  cases.  If  his  admiration  is 
excited  by  the  behaviour  of  the  Indians,  I  doubt  not 
that  his  indignation  will  be  raised  in  an  equal  degree 
by  that  of  a  white  man  who  unfortunately  acts  a 
part  in  the  story. 

'*  A  party  of  Delawares,  in  om  of  their  excursions 
during  the  revolutionary  war,  took  a  white  female 
prisoner.  The  Indian  chief,  after  a  march  of  several 
days,  observed  that  s'ne  was  ailing,  and  \'.  as  soon 
convinced  (for  she  was  far  advanced  in  her  preg- 
nancy) t.hat  the  time  of  her  delivery  was  near.     He 

*  Cftrver'a  Travels,  cb.  9,  p.l9({. 


09 


CKUEL  CONDUCT  EXERCISED 


IJ 


immediately  made  a  halt  on  the  bank  of  a  stream, 
where,  at  a  proper  distant  from  the  encampmentt  he 
built  for  her  a  close  hut  of  peeled  barks,  gathered 
dry  grass  and  fern  to  make  her  a  bed,  and  placed 
a  blanket  at  the  opening  of  the  dwelling  as  a  substi- 
tute for  a  door.  He  ikien  kindled  a  fire,  placed  a 
pile  of  wood  near  it  to  feed  it  occasionally,  and 
placed  a  kelile  of  water  at  hand  where  she  might 
easily  use  it.  He  then  took  her  into  her  little  in- 
firmary, gave  her  Indian  medicines,  with  directions 
tbow  to  use  them,  and  told  her  to  r^'St  easy,  and  she 
might  be  sure  that  nothing  should  disturb  her. 
Having  done  this,  he  returned  to  his  men,  forbade 
them  from  making  any  noise,  or  disturbing  the  sick 
woman  in  any  manner,  and  told  them  that  he  him- 
self should  guard  her  during  the  night.  He  did  so  ; 
and  the  whole  night  kept  watch  before  her  door, 
walking  backward  and  forward,  to  be  ready  at  her 
call  at  any  moment,  in  case  of  extreme  necessity. 
The  night  passed  quietly ;  but  in  the  morning,  as 
he  was  walking  by  on  the  bank  of  the  stream,  seeing 
him  through  the  crevices,  she  called  to  him  and  pre- 
sented her  babe.  I'ho  good  c'.nef,  with  tears  in  his 
eyes,  rejoiced  at  her  safe  delivery;  he  told  her  not  to 
be  uneasy,  thm  he  should  lay  by  for  a  few  days,  and 
would  soon  bi'tng  her  somi  nourishing  food,  and 
some  medicines  to  take.  T!ien  going  to  his  encamp- 
ment, he  ordered  all  hi«  men  to  go  out  a  hunting, 
and  remained  himself  to  guard  the  camp." 

Forgive  me,  reader,  if,  for  a  momet,  I  disturb  the 
order  of  my  extract.  There  is  nothing  that  I  know 
within  the  whole  scope  of  anecdotal  history  more 
affecting  than  the  present  narration.  How  exalted 
was  the  humanity  of  this  Indian  Chief!  how  refined 
his  delicacy  !  hew  watchful  and  tender  his  care  ! — 
The  pathos,  though  deep,  is  sweet ;  and  Mr.  Hecke- 
welder  has  communicated  the  story  in  a  style  of  feel- 
ing and  simplicity  worthy  of  it.  He  has  made  us 
witnesses  of  the  transaction.     We  see  through  the 


TOWARDS    THE   INDIANS. 


61 


darkness  of  the  night,  the  swarthy  warrior  walk- 
ing •  anxiously  backward  and  forward  before  the 
hut  of  bark, — the  *'  little  infirmary"  of  the  labouring 
woman  The  morning  comes ;  and  in  the  pale 
dawn  behold  !  the  poor  creature  pointing,  in  a  state 
of  utter  exhaustion,  to  her  babe,  delivered  in  the 
wilderness — in  night  and  solitude  !  Yet  was  she  not 
entirely  without  support ;  for,  over  and  above  the 
secret  aid  which  came  to  her  pangs  from  high,  see ! 
she  meets  with  sympathy  in  a  wild  man,  a  stranger, 
a  warrior ;  who  melts  into  tears  at  the  sight !  My 
heart,  too,  swells  as  I  read.  Bear  wi^i  me — we  will 
resume  our  extract. 

"Now  for  the  reverse  of  the  picture.  Among  the 
men  \vhom  this  chief  had  under  his  command,  was 
one  of  those  white  vagabonds  whom  I  have  belore 
described.  The  captain  was  much  afraid  of  him, 
knowing  him  to  be  a  bad  man  ;  and  as  he  had  ex- 
pressed a  great  desire  to  ^o  a  hunting  with  the  rest, 
he  believed  him  gone,  and  entertained  no  fears  for 
(he  woman's  safety.  But  it  was  not  long  before  he 
was  undeceived.  While  he  was  gone  to  a  small 
distance  to  dig  roots  for  his  poor  patient,  he  heard 
her  cries,  and  running  with  speed  to  her  hut,  he  was 
informed  by  her  that  the  white  man  had  threatened 
to  take  lier  life  if  aUe  did  not  immediately  throw  her 
child  into  the  river.  The  captain,  enraged  at  the 
cruelty  of  this  man,  and  the  liberty  he  had  taken 
with  his  prisoner,  hailed  him  as  he  was  running  off, 
and  told  him  '  That  the  moment  he  should  miss  the 
child,  the  tomahawk  should  be  in  his  head.'  After 
a  (*i\Y  days  this  humane  chief  placed  the  woman 
carefully  on  a  horse,  and  they  went  together  to  the 
place  of  their  destination,  the  mother  and  child  doing 
well.  I  have  heard  him  relate  this  story,  to  which 
he  added,  that  whenever  he  should  go  out  on  an  ex- 
.cursion,  he  never  would  suffer  a  white  man  to  be  of 
his  party. 

"  Vet  I  must  acl^nowledgc  thai  I  have  known  an 

7* 


■*y 


I 


^,.*-. 


1 


! 


^' 


'^ 


CRUEL  CONDUCT  BXEBCISED 


Indian  chief  who  had  been  guilty  of  the  crime  of  kil- 
ling the  child  of  a  female  prisoner.  His  name,  was 
Glikhican.  In  the  year  1770,  he  joined  the  congre- 
gation of  the  Christian  Indians ;  the  details  of  his 
conversion  are  related  at  large  by  Loskiel  in  his 
History  of  the  Missions.^  Before  that  time  he  had 
been  conspicuous  as  a  warrior  and  a  counsellor,  and 
in  oratory  it  is  said  he  never  was  surpassed.  This 
raaii,  having  joined  the  French  in  the  year  1754  or 
1755,  in  their  war  against  the  English,  and  being  at 
that  time  out  with  a  party  of  Frenchmen,  took  among 
other  prisoner,  a  young  woman,  named  Rachel  Ab- 
bottf  from  the  Conegocheague  settlement,  who  had 
at  her  breast  a  sucking  babe.  The  incessant  cries 
of  the  child,  the  hurry  to  get  off,  but  above  all,  the 
persuasions  of  his  white  companions,  induced  him, 
much  against  his  inclination,  to  kill  the  innocent 
creature;  while  the  mother,  in  an  pgony  of  grief, 
and  her  face  vuffused  with  tears,  begged  that  its  life 
might  be  spared.  The  woman,  however,  was 
brought  safe  to  the  Ohio,  where  she  was  kindly 
treated  and  adopted,  and  some  years  afterwards  was 
married  to  a  Delaware  chief  of  respectability,  by 
whom  she  had  sever^il  children,  who  arc  now  living 
with  the  Christian  Indians  in  Upper  Canada. 

**  Glikhican  never  forgave  himself  for  having  com- 
mitted this  crime,  although  many  times,  and  long  be- 
fore hh  becoming  a  Christian,  he  had  begged  the 
woman's  pardon  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  and  received 
her  fiee  and  full  forgiveness.  In  vain  she  pointed 
ont  to  him  all  the  circumstances  that  he  could  have 
allcdged  to  excuse  the  deed  ;  in  vain  she  reminded 
him  of  his  unwillingness  at  the  time,  »nd  his  having 
been  in  a  manner  compelled  to  it  by  his  French  asso- 
ciates; nothing  that  she  did  say  could  assuage  ins 
sorrow  or  quiet  the  perturbation  of  his  mind ;  h^ 
railed  himself  a  wretch,  a  monster,  a  cowardj  (the 

•*  LotklHp.  3.  qh.3 


TOWAaDS   THE    INDIANS. 


63 


proud  feelings  of  an  Indian  must  be  well  understood 
to  judge  of  the  force  of  this  self-accusation,)  and  to 
the  moment  of  his  death  the  remembrance  of  this 
f  tal  act  preyed  like  a  canker-worm  upon  his  spirits. 
I  ought  to  add,  thnt  from  the  time  of  his  conversion 
he  lived  the  life  of  a  Christian,  and  died  as  such. 

"  The  Indians  are  cruel  to  their  enemies ! — In 
some  cases  they  are,  but  perhaps  not  more  so  than 
white  men  have  sometimes  shown  themselves.  There 
have  been  instances  of  white  men  flaying  oi  taking 
oflfthe  skin  of  Indians  who  had  fallen  into  their  hands, 
then  tanning  those  skins  or  cutting  them  in  pieces, 
making  them  up  into  razor-straps,  and  exposing 
those  for  sale  as  was  done  at  or  near  Pittsburg  some- 
time (luring  the  revolutionary  war.  Those  thing.<i 
are  abominations  in  the  eyes  of  the  Indians,  who, 
indeed,  when  strongly  excited,  inflict  torments  on 
their  prisoners  and  put  then  to  death  by  cruel  tor- 
lures,  but  never  are  guilty  of  acts  of  barbarity  in 
cold  blood.  Neither  do  the  Delawares  and  some 
other  Indian  nations,  ever  on  any  account  disturb 
the  ashes  of  the  dead. 

"  The  custom  of  torturing  prisoners  is  of  ancient 
date,  and  was  first  introduced  as  a  trial  of  courage. 
I  have  been  told,  liowever,  that  among  some  tribes 
it  has  never  been  in  use ;  bat  it  must  be  added  that 
those  tribes  gave  no  quarter.  The  Delawares 
accuse  the  Iroquois  of  having  been  the  invenlers  of 
this  piece  of  cruelty,  and  charge  them  further  with 
eating  the  flesh  of  their  prisoners  after  the  torture 
was  over.  Be  this  as  it  may,  there  arc  now  but  few 
instances  of  prisoners  being  put  to  death  in  this 
manner. 

"  Rare  as  these  barbarous  executions  now  arc,  1 
liavc  reason  to  believe  that  they  would  be  still  less 
Irequcnt,  if  proper  pains  were  taken  to  turn  the  In- 
dians away  from  this  heathenish  custom.  Instead  of 
this,  it  is  but  too  true  that  they  have  been  excited  to 
cruelty  by  unprincipled  white  men,  who  have  Joioed 


s    i 


H4 


CRUEL  CONDUCT  EXERCISED 


iij  their  war-feasts  and  even  added  to  the  barbarity 
of  the  scene.  Can  there  be  a  more  brutal  act  than, 
after  furnishing  those  savages,  t**)  they  are  called, 
with  implements  of  war  and  destruction,  to  give  them 
an  ox  to  kill  and  to  roast  whole,  to  dance  the  war 
dance  with  them  round  the  slaughtered  animal,  strike 
at  him,  stab  him,  telling  the  Indians  at  the  same 
time,  '  Strike,  stab  !  thus  you  must  do  to  your  ene- 
my !*  Then  taking  a  piece  of  the  meat  and  tearing 
it  with  their  teeth,  '  So  you  must  eat  his  flesh  !'  and 
sucking  up  the  juices,  *  Thus  you  must  drink  his 
blood  f  and  at  last  devour  the  whole  as  wolves  do  a 
carcass.  This  is  what  is  known  to  have  been  done 
by  some  of  those  Indian  agents  that  1  have  men- 
tioned. 

*'  Is  this  possible  ^  the  reader  will  naturally  ex- 
claim. Yes,  it  is  possible  and  every  Indian  war- 
rior will  tell  you  that  it  is  true.  It  has  come  to  me 
from  so  many  credible  sources  that  I  am  fmced  to 
believe  it.  How  can  the  Indians  now  be  reproached 
with  acts  of  cruelly  to  which  they  have  been  excited 
by  those  who  pretended  to  be  Chri^f^lians  and  civi- 
lized merj,  but  who  were  worse  savages  than  those 
whom,  no  doubt,  they  were  reacy  to  brand  with  that 
^larnc 

"When  hostile  governments  *  give  direcfions  to 
omploy  the  Indians  ar^^inst  their  enemies,  they  surely 
do  not  kno'v  that  i?ch  I  the  manner  in  which  their 
orders  are  to  be  ei.ctucd ;  but  let  me  tell  them  and 
every  government  who  will  descend  to  employing 
these  auxiliaries,  that  this  is  the  only  way  in  which 
their  subaltern  agents  will  and  can  proceed  to  make 
their  aid  cifectual.  The  Indians  are  not  fond  of  in- 
terfering in  quarrels  not  their  own,  and  will  not  fight 
with  spirit  for  the  mere  sake  of  a  livelihood  whicli. 
they  can  obtain  in  a  more  agreeable  manner  by  bunt- 
ing and  their  other  ordinary  occupations.  Their  pas- 
sions must  be  excited,  and  that  is  not  easily  done 
when  they  themselves  have  not  recervcd  any  injury 


m. 


JKits."^'* 


VOWAIlt)S  THE  INDIANS. 


^ 


from  those  against  whom  they  are  desired  to  fight. 
Behold,  then,  the  abominable  course  which  must  un- 
avoidably be  resorted  to — to  induce  them  to  do  what  ? 
— to  lay  waste  the  dwelling  of  the  peaceable  cultiva- 
tor of  the  land,  and  to  murder  his  innocent  wife  and 
liis  helpless  children  !  I  cannot  pursue  this  subject 
farther,  although  1  am  far  from  having  exhausted  it. 
I  have  said  enough  to  enable  the  impartial  reader  to 
decide  which  of  the  two  classes  of  men,  the  Indians 
and  the  whites,  are  the  most  justly  entitled  to  the  epi- 
thets of  brutes,  barbarians,  and  savages.  It  is  not 
for  me  to  anticipate  his  decision."* 

*  See  HockewoUler,  chap.  44. 


V 


v; 


1% 


86 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

VANITY  AS  TO  DRESS,  AND  OTHErVeRSONAL 
DECORATION. 


r-''  y 


^ 


The  warriors  and  chiefs  arc  distinguished  by  tlieii 
ornaments.  The  present  dress  of  the  Indians  is  well 
known  to  consist  in  blankets,  plain  or  ruflled  sisiits 
and  leggins  for  the  men,  and  cSoth  petticoats  for  tl.<? 
women,  generally  red,  blue,  or  black.  Tlie  blan- 
kets are  sometimes  made  of  feathers.  This  manu- 
facuire  roquire?  great  patience,  being  a  very  tedious 
kind  of  work  ;  yet  the  Indians  do  it  ir:  a  moat  inge- 
nious manner.  The  feathers  (generally  those  of  the 
turkey  and  choose)  arc  curiously  arranged  and  inter- 
woven together  with  a  sort  of  thread  or  twine,  which 
they  prepare  from  the  rind  or  bark  of  the  wild  hemp 
'jLml  nettle.  The  v^althy  adorn  themselves  with- ri- 
bands or  gartering  of  various  colours,  beads,  and  sil- 
ver broaches.  They  wear,  moreover,  broad  rings  or 
bands  on  their  arms,  fingers,  and  r^und  their  hats; 
these  oruuments  are  highly  valued  if  of  silver,  but  if 
only  plated  they  >*re  despised,  and  would  hardly  be 
worn.  I  have  seen  in  young  children,  three  rings  in 
each  ear.  These  decorations  are  arranged  by  tht 
women,  who,  as  well  as  the  men.  know  how  to  dress 
themselves  ni  style.  Those  of  the  men  consist  in  the 
painting  of  themselves  (their  head  and  face  principal 
iy,)  wearing  gaudy  garments,  with  silver  arm  span- 
gi: ''  and  breast-plates,  and  a  belt  or  two  of  wampum 
i^aAf^jing  to  their  necks.  The  women,  at  th**  expense 
of  tficir  husbands  or  lovers,  line  their  petticoat  and 
blanket  '  ith  choice  ribcinds  of  various  colours,  or 
with  gartering,  on  which  they  fix  a  number  of  silver 
broaches  oi*  sroul!  round  buckles.     They  adorn  their 


VANITY  AS  TO  DRESS,  hc. 


&7 


leggi'igs  in  the  same  manner ;  their  mockaseus  are 
nep.(ly  embroidered  witli  coloured  porcupin>'?  quills, 
and  are  besides,  almost  entirely  covered  with  various 
trinkets  ;  they  have  also  a  number  of  little  bells  and 
brass  thimbles  fixed  round  their  ankles,  which,  when 
ihey  walk,  make  a  tinkling  noise,  which  is  heard  at 
some  distance ;  this  is  intended  to  draw  the  attention 
of  those  who  pass  by,  that  they  may  look  at,  and  ad- 
mire them. 

The  women  make  use  of  vermilion  in  painting 
themselves  for  dances  ;  but  they  are  very  careful  and 
circumspect  in  applying  the  paint,  so  that  it  does  not 
offend  or  create  suspicion  in  their  husbanas ;  there 
is  a  mode  of  painting  which  is  left  entirely  to  loose 
women  and  prostitutts. 

The  following  diverting  anecdote  is  told  by  my  oUl 
friend  the  Moravian  missionary  : — 

"  As  1  was  once  resting  in  my  travels  at  the  house 
of  a  trader  who  lived  at  some  distance  from  an  Indian 
town,  I  went  in  the  morning  to  visit  an  Indian  ac- 
quaintance and  friend  of  mine.  I  found  him  engaged 
in  plucking  out  his  beard,  preparatory  to  painting 
iiimself  for  a  dance  which  was  to  take  place  the  en- 
suing evening.  Having  finished  his  head-dress,  about 
an  hour  before  sunset,  he  came  up,  as  he  said,  to 
see  me,  but  I  and  my  companions  judged  that  ho 
came  to  be  seen.  To  my  utter  astonishment,  I  saw 
three  diOerent  paintings  or  figures  on  one  and  the 
same  face.  He  had,  by  his  great  ingenuity  and 
judiijment  in  laying  on  and  shading  the  different 
colours,  made  his  nose  appear,  when  we  stood  di- 
rectly in  front  of  him,  as  if  it  were  very  long  and 
narrow,  with  a  round  nob  at  the  end,  much  like  the 
upper  part  of  a  pair  of  tongs.  On  one  clicck  there 
was  a  red  round  spot,  about  the  size  of  an  apple, 
and  the  other  was  done  in  the  same  manner  with 
black.  The  eye-lids,  both  the  upper  and  lower 
ones,  were  reversed  in  the  colouring.  When  wo 
viewed  him  in  profile  on  one  sido,,  his  nose  reprcr 


7><' 


I 


^ii 


l« 


rl 


-*i» 


88 


VANITY  AS  TO   3RESS,  &C. 


V    J 


sented  the  beak  of  an  eagle,  Trith  the  bill  rounded 
and  brought  to  a  point,  precisely  as  those  birds  liavc 
it.  though  the  moian  was  somewhat  open.     Thf  eye 
was  astonishingly   well   done,  and  the  head,  upon 
the  whole,  appeared  tolerably  well,  showing  a  great 
deal  of  fierceness.     When  we  turned  round  to  the 
other  side,  the  same  nose  now  resembled  the  snout  of 
a  pike,  with  the  mouth  so  open,  that  the  teeth  could 
be  seen.     He  seemed  much  pleased  with  the  execu- 
tion ;  and  having  his  looking  glass  with  him  he  con- 
templated his  work,  seemingly  with   great  pride  and 
exultation.     He  asked  me  how  i  !i!<ed  it  .'*  1  answer- 
ed that  if  he  had  done  the  work  on  a  piece  of  board, 
bark,  or  any   thing  else,  I  should  like  it  very  well, 
and  often  look  at  it.     '  But,'  asked  he,  •  why  not  so 
as  it  is  .'"     *  Because,'  said  1,  '  I  cannot  see  the  face 
that  is   hidden  under  thuse   coloui-s,  so  as  to  know 
who  it  is.'     '  Well,'  he   replied,   '  I    must  go  now ; 
and  as  3'ou  cannot  know  me  to-day,  I  will  call  ic- 
monow  mornihPf  before  you  leave  this  place.'     Hi- 
did  so,  and  when  he  came  back,  he  was  washed  clean 
again." 

When  the  men  paint  their  iltiighs,  legs  and  breast, 
they  generally,  after  laying  on  a  thin  shading  coat  ol 
n  darkish  colour,  and  sometianes  of  a  whitish  clav, 
dip  iheir  fingers'  ends  in  black  or  red  paint,  and  then 
spreading  them  out,  bring  the  streaks  to  a  serpentine 
form. 

The  notion  formerly  entertained  that  the  Indians 
arc  beardless  by  nature,  and  have  no  hair  on  their  bo- 
tljes,  is  now  entirely  exploded.  It  is  scarcely  possi 
hie,  indeed,  for  any  person  to  pass  a  few  weeKs  onl's- 
amour  these  people,  without  seeing  tiicni  pluck  out 
their  beards  with  tweezers  made  expressl3'  ^'^''  ^''''^* 
purpose.  They  peiforrn  the  operation  in  a  very 
•juick  manner,  much  like  the  plucking  of  a  fowl ;  and 
the  oftener  it  is  done,  the  finer  the  hair  grows,  till  at 
last  the  roots  are  so  destroyed,  that  little  or  no  hair 
appears  left.     The  reasons  they  give  for  thus  deraci- 


VANITY  AS  TO  DRESS,  &C. 


80 


iiating  their  hair,  are  that  they  may  have  a  clean 
skin  to  lay  the  paint  on,  when  they  dress  for  their 
festivals  or  dances,  and  to  facilitate  the  tattooing  them- 
selves ;  a  custom  formerly  much  in  vogue  among 
them,  especially  with  those  who  had  acquired  celebri- 
ty by  their  valour.  They  say  that  either  painting 
or  tattooing  on  a  hairy  face  or  body  would  have  a 
disgusting  appearance. 

Tattooing  is  now  greatly  discontinued.  The  pro- 
cess is  quickly  done,  and  does  not  seem  to  give  much 
pain.  They  have  poplar-bark  in  readiness,  burnt  and 
reduced  to  a  powder ;  the  figures  that  are  to  be  tat- 
tooed are  marked  or  designed  on  the  skin  ;  the  ope** 
rator,  with  a  small  stick,  rather  larger  than  a  com- 
mon match  (to  the  end  of  which  some  sharp  needles 
are  fastened)  quickly  pricks  over  the  whole  so  that 
blood  is  drawn;  then  a  coat  of  the  above  powder  is 
laid  and  left  un  to  dry. 

I  was  travelling  in  the  United  States,  near  Lake 
Erie,  accompanied  by  a  (5entleman  who,  like  myself, 
was  a  stranger  in  the  country ;  and  after  riding  se- 
veral miles  through  the  woods  in  great  suspense,  as 
scarcely  any  track  was  discernible,  we  at  length  ar- 
rived at  an  Indian  hut.  Night  was  now  approaching, 
and  we  determined  to  return  ;  but,  observing  through 
the  trees  a  number  of  Indians  coming  towards  us,  we 
changed  our  purpose,  lest  our  going  off  might  have 
been  considered  an  indication  of  fear,  a  thing  they 
are  very  apt  to  resent.  We,  therefore,  spurred  our 
horses  forward,  and  proceeded  towards  several  well- 
constructed  framed  houses,  near  one  of  which  stood 
two  Indian  men.  Having  alighted,  we  fastened  our 
horses  to  the  railing  tha^  enclosed  a  small  garden, 
and  accosted  the  men  with  assumed  confidence, 
though  not  altogether  without  fear,  for  as  they  were 
living  within  the  States,  it  occurred  to  our  minds  that 
they  might  not  be  friendly  if  they  perceived  we  were 
British.  These  men  were  engaged  sharpening  an  ax 
at  a  grindstone.     When  the  Indian  who  turned  the 

V       tt  8 


i 


"  4 
if 


k 


00 


VANITY  A8  TO  DBE88,  &IC. 


Stone,  discovered  he  wai  looked  ot,  he  immediately 
changed  hands  at  his  work,  and  with  secret  pride,  but 
i/Tected  carelessness,  extended  the  little  finger  of  the 
nand  now  employed,  on  which  we  conid  not  avoid 
seeing  a  large  silver  ring.     No  sweet  clergyman,  in 
odour  with  the  ladies,  could  have  better  displayed  a 
jewel  over  the  edge  of  his  pulpit, — no  spruce  physi- 
cian, conscious  of  his  brilliants,  while  feeling  his  pa- 
tient's pulse ;  or  dandy,  taking  a  pinch  of  snUfl'with 
an  eye  to  the  exhibition  of  his  trinkets,  could  have 
dond  the  tiling  with  a  finer  air  than  our  Indian.     This 
high  mark  of  civilization,  1  must  confess,  inspired  me 
with  courage.     We  went  post  ihem  to  the  house,  into 
which  we  entered  without  ceremony,  though  the  door 
was  shut.     We  there  found  a  young  squuw  who  took 
little  notice  of  us.     The  house  was  a  framed  one, 
well  boarded  outside,  and  lined  and  floored  with  the 
same   material    within.     It    was  about   twenty  feet 
square,  and  ten  high.     In  the  side  there  was  a  loft, 
which  seemed  to  be  used  as  a  kind  of  store-house  for 
cobbs,  or  heads  of  Indian  corn,   wool,  he.     There 
were  tuo  bedsteads  with  blankets  and  covers  of  stri- 
ped woollen  and  linen,  a  small  table,  and  some  rude 
chairs.     On  each  side  the  fire  stood  a  holiow  trunk 
of  a  tree,  about  two  feet  ten  inches  high,  in  the  bot- 
tom of  each  of  which  were  a  hard  stone,  and  a  large 
wooden  pou  u'er  or  pestle  for  bruising  Indian  corn. 
There    were,    moreover,  some    pots,  pans,  wooden 
plotcs  and  dishes,  a  churn  lor  milk,  and   pails  for 
milking,  scooped  out  of  the  solid  tree.     Few  cabins 
in  Ireland  surpassed   the  one  1  am  describing;  and 
very  few  indeed,  I  grieve  to  say,   equal  it.     Other 
buildings,  still  more  commodious,  appeared  at  a  dis- 
tance ;  but  as  night  was  gaining  upon  us,  and  we 
had  still  seven  miles  through  the  woods  to  go,  we 
hurried  away  from  the  interesting  scene.     On  our 
road  we  met  two   squaws,  each  riding  a  very  good 
Torse.     Upon  seeing  us,  they  imitated  the  polished 
oirs  of  the  most  refined  people;  holding  themselves 


VANITY   AS    TO    DRESS,  &C> 


91 


more  erect,  reining  \i\  their  steeds,  and  looking  at  u» 
with  real  modesty  ol'  manner.  As  soon  as  they  pass- 
ed they  dashed  forward  w'uli  laughter,  being  highly 
amused  at  the  astonishment  apparent  in  us. 

My  own  observations  have  convinced  me  that 
many  of  the  feelings  and  acqurremeiits  which  in  the 
most  fashionable  constitute  the  surest  marks  of  civi- 
lization, are  to  b«  found  abundantly  among  the  In- 
dians. The  men  are  fond  of  war  and  religion,  of 
hunting,  fishing,  and  feasting ;  averse  to  laltour,  and 
impatient  of  control.  Does  this  prove  them  savages  ? 
The  women  aifect  dress  and  distinction  :  are  doting- 
ly  fond  of  their  children,  whose  wants,  together  with 
the  wants  of  their  husbands,  they  labour  to  supply. 
They  are  also  warmly  attached  to  their  kindred  and 
tribe.  As  some  of  these  characteristics  are  not  to 
be  found  in  civilized  life,  the  women  may,  for  aught 
1  know,  bear  some  mark  of  savages.  But  with  such 
inherent  qualities,  what  might  not  these  tribes  become, 
both  men  ^nd  women  ? 

Another  trait  of  the  Indian  character  is  that  thev 
are  kind  and  merciful  masters  to  their  horses  ;  and 
cattle  of  every  description  are  well  fed,  and  kept  in 
good  condition  by  them. 


,%, 


^, 


J^.  *-'^- 


•^v, 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


// 


1.0 


1.1 


11.25 


14^  128 

150     •■■ 


|25 

■^  1^    12.2 

ui    Hi 

I  lis  ||0 
1.8 


1.4 


1.6 


6" 


Photographic 

Sciences 
CorpDration 


>»^:^^ 


23  WfST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


'^"^k"*' 
^ 


^  .<.v. 


92 


CHAPTER  IX. 

ATTEMPTS  RECENTLY  MAUE  TO  LEAD  THE  INDIAN' 
TRIBES  TO  ADMIT  TEACHERS  OF  CHRISTIANITY 
AMONG  THEM  ;  WITH  OBSERVATIONS  THEREON, 
AND  MINTS  TO  MISSIONARIES. 


Several  scattefed  tribes,  in  various  parts  of  the 
United  States,  and  in  Upper  and  Lower  Canada, 
have  nominally  embraced  Christianity  as  professed 
by  the  Roman  Catholics  and  other  sects  ;  and  recent 
effort!  have  been  made  by  Missionary  Societies  to 
forward  amon^  all  the  nations  a  willingness  to  ad- 
mit teachers  to  instruct  them  in  the  Christian  profes- 
sion. A  grand  council  of  the  Indians  of  many  scat- 
tered and  distant  tribes,  was  to  be  held  in  the  autumn 
or  fall  of  1819,  for  the  purpose  of  deliberating  and 
deciding  whether  these  religious  teachers  were  or 
were  not  to  be  allowed  a  footing  amor.g  them.  I 
happened  at  the  time  to  be  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  their  assembling,  (not  far  distant  from  Buffa- 
lo ;)  but  findinfj  that  the  subject  would  occupy 
many  days,  perhaps  weeks,  arid  that  the  dis- 
cussions would  oe  held  among  themselves,  ard  in 
their  own  languages,  I  was  prevented  from  attending 
the  council.  I  availed  myself,  however,  of  every 
opportunity  of  getting  at  the  turning  point  of  this 
important  subject.  On  my  journey  from  Buffalo  to- 
wards Canada,  I  met  an  Indian  Chief  proceeding  to 
the  council  fire  to  enter  upon  the  above  deliberation. 
He  had  an  excellent  horse,  saddle,  and  bridle  ;  his 
rifle,  pistols,  tomahawk,  and  blanket  were  slung  on 
his  horse  ;  the  scalping  k^ife  and  pipe  were  attached 
to  his  person.  The  tout-ensemble  of  his  dress  was 
finery  itself.     He  had  silver  clasps  on  his  arms,  long 


RECENT    ATTEMPTS,  &C. 


03 


peacock-feathers  in  his  cap,  and  conspicuous  above 
all,  was  a  large  silver  cross,  about  eighteen  inches 
long,  suspended  by  a  string  of  wampum  round  his 
neck.  This  indicated  that  he  was  a  champion  of 
Christianity.  He  had  alighted  from  his  horse,  and 
was  leaning  against  a  rail  fence,  but  in  so  beastly  a 
state  of  drunkenness,  that  although  he  made  many 
efforts  to  remount,  he  was  unable,  while  I  continued 
to  observe  him,  to  accomplish  it.  The  very  stirrup 
seemed  to  bafle  him,  and  swing  away  from  his  foot : 
like  another  ecclesiastical  adventurer  (Hudibras,) 


^k 


«. 


he  had  much  ado 


To  reach  it  with  his  desperate  toe," 


his 


I  would  willingly  have  offered  my  aid  to  the  chief, 
but  fearing  to  give  offence,  I  continued  my  journey, 
deeply  mortified  at  what  I  had  witnessed;  yet  I 
reflected  that  many  champions  of  the  cross  had  at 
all  times  gone  forth  like  this  poor  besotted  Indian ; 
like  him  accompanied  by  arms  and  external  decora- 
tions, and  if  not  drunk  ]iytth  rum,  intoxicated  with  the 
love  of  earthly  distinctions,  power,  and  dominioa  ^ 
and  oyer  all,  the  cross!  as  if  that  emblem  could 
sanctify  the  warlike  spirit  and  abomination  that  it 
covered. 

In  a  few  days  afterwards,  I  was  fortunate  enough 
to  meet  with  an  intelligent  young  Indian  chief,  from 
Avhom  Ilearned  many  important  particulars  relative  to 
the  grand  council  meeting.  It  appeared  that  for 
many  years  the  subject  had  been  debated,  and  I  was 
enabled  to  acquire  from  my  young  informant,  a  know- 
ledge of  the  positions  which  the  different  parties  took 
upon  this  important  question.  The  favourers  of 
Christianity  alleged  that  the  Great  Spirit  had  ceased 
to  regard  them  on  account  of  their  crimes,  and  had 
given  them  into  the  hands  of  the  white  men  :  that 
many  years  had  gone  over  since  the  white  men  ob^ 
rained  a  footing  among  them,  and  that  while  they 

8* 


.M 


f 


% 


■i'A^ 


-S-.  .'ISfe-. 


■•*-"V*t 


94 


RECENT    ATTEMPTS  TO 


»  ■ 


.*>■ 


I 


(the  Indians)  were  melting  away  from  the  face  of  the 
earth,  the  ^vliites  were  every  year  increasing.  •  Tliis 
must  evidently  proceed  from  the  determination  of  the 
Great  Spirit,  and  it  was  wisdom,  therefore,  to  yield 
to  the  religion  of  the  Europeans,  as  the  only  means 
ol  avoiding  the  total  destruction  of  their  tribes  ;  by 
doing  so  they  would  find  more  favour  and  security, 
not  only  from  their  father  at  Washington,  but  from 
their  great  father  beyond  the  salt  lake."^  (For  as 
this  council  was  attended  by  chiefs  from  tribes  in  the 
United  States,  so  also  were  many  there  from  the  Bri- 
tish side.) 

The  opposers  of  the  measure  urged,  in  reply,  that 
the  Great  Spirit  was  angry  with  the  Indians  but  for 
a  season,  and  had  only  given  temporary  power  to 
while  men  to  punish  them.  The  Indians  had  in  for- 
mer times  enjoyed  many  and  great  blessings,  and 
should  do  so  again.  Why,  therefore,  ought  they  to 
depart  from  the  worship  of  their  fore-fathers,  and 
follow  the  religion  called  Christian  f  As  under  the 
name  of  that  religion,  and  from  those  who  professed 
it,  had  they  experienced  all  their  wrongs  and  suffer- 
ings, and  had  arrived  at  their  present  wasted  condi- 
tion !  Surel}'  they  should  not  embrace  a  faith  that 
would  tolerate  such  wickedness.  What  treaty  had 
Christians  kept  with  them?  What  just  principles  had 
they  not  violated  f  Had  they  not  despoiled  them  of 
their  lands,  of  their  hunting  grounds,  of  their  lakes, 
and  their  mountains  f  Had  they  not  slain  their  young 
men  and  their  old  warriors  ?  Had  they  not  taught 
them  to  act  as  beasts,  yea,  worse  than  the  beafits  of 
the  forest,  by  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors  f  Did  they 
not  give  rum  to  them  to  deceive  and  cheat  them  ;  to 
take  from  ihem  their  fields  and  their  skins  f  And  had 
they  not  derived  loathsome  diseases  and  other  evils 
from  those  professing  Christianity  ?  Can  the  God  of 
the  Christians  approve  such  acts  ? — "  Away,"conclu- 


*  The  King  of  England. 


CONVERT    THE    INDIANS. 


95 


i 

I 


ded  these  reasoners,  '^  with  the  religion  and  the  name 
of  Christian,  why  should  we  embrace  it  ?" 

I  have   thus  embodied   the  outline  of  the  contro- 
versy ;  and  alas !  how  painful  is   it  to  admit  that 
these  objections  are   but  too  well  founded.     Never- 
theless, the  young  Indian  chief  seemed  to  think  that 
the  majority  will  consentHo  receive  Christianity.     As 
this   young  man  could   read    English   very  well,  I 
endeavoured   to    point   out  to  him  that  true  Chris- 
tianity no  more  countenanced  oppression  nor  unjust 
conduct  than  the   Great  Spirit  did,  from  whom  it 
came ;  and  that  what  the   Lord  Jesus  Christ  taught 
and   practised,  was  alone  to  be  found  in   the  New 
Testament,  where  his  own  words  were  recorded,  and 
where  the  effects  produced  upon   all  who  believed 
them,  were  to  be  seen.     I  told  him  that  our  Saviour 
denied  those  to  be  his  people  who  acted  unjustly  to 
any:  that  his  religion  made  no  distinction  between 
white  and  black  men — between  men  of  any  name  or 
nation  under  Heaven :  that  he  who   truly  did  unto 
his  neighbour  as  he  would  be  done  by,  was  approved 
of  Christ,  while  he  who  did  wrong  was  condemned. 
All  men  were  sinners;  but  the  Lord  Jesus,  in  his  in- 
finite compassion,  came  into  the  world   to  give. his 
life  a  ransom  for  their  offences.     Such,  therefore,  as 
believed  in  his  exceeding  love  and  propitiation,  and 
were  led,  by  such  belief,  to  forsake  their  sins,  to  love 
each  other,  to  be   at  peace  with  all  men,  to  perform 
the   duties  of  life  uprightly,  to  obey  their  parents, 
masters,  and   governors,  and  live  piously  with   the 
fear  of  God  in  their  hearts,  were  true  Christians.     I 
strongly  endeavoured  to  impress  on  the  mind  of  my 
young  friend,  that  Christianity  was  not  to  be  known 
by  the  professions  made  in  the  present  day,  which 
generally    were   nothing  more   than    a    system    of 
opinions,  arranged  so  as  to  acquire  respect  to  a  cer- 
tain order  of  men,  that  they  might  the  more  easily 
grasp  wordly  power  and  wealth ;  whereas  the  religion 
of  the  Cross,  as  taught  by  Jesus  and  his  Apostles, 


!        4 


— .  -^  .  -  I 


I 


96 


RECENT  A1TEMPT3    TO 


M     . 


il 


li\ 


and  as  we  have  it  set  forth  in  the  Scriptures,  does 
not-  countenance  a  lust  after  secular  honours  or  do- 
minion, but  expressly  forbids  it  to  his  followers; 
merely  requiring  of  them  that  they  should  yield 
honour  where  honour  is  due,  and  that  their  lives 
should  be  meek,  holy,  harmless,  and  undefiled ;  not 
returning  evil  for  evil,  but  good  for  evil. 

The  earnestness  with  which  these  observations 
were  attended  to  by  the  young  Indian,  greatly  in- 
terested me  ;  and  how  should  I  rejoice  that  Chris- 
tianity should  be  exhibited  to  these  simple  people,  by 
acts  of  benevolence,  charity,  and  mercy,  leaving  the 
speculations  and  systems  to  the  learned  and  refined. 
.The  Moravian  misssonaries  set  a  laudable  example 
in  this  respect,  and  the  consequences  have  been  that 
their  labours  have  proved  more  successful  than  those 
of  all  other  sects  whatever.  Preparation  is  neces- 
sary previous  to  the  reception  of  any  principles ;  and 
in  this  way  God  was  graciously  pleased  to  act. 
The  Jewish  dispensation  was  the  forerunner  of  the 
Gospel ;  the  Prophets,  (and  the  last  and  greatest  of 
them,  John  the  Baptist,)  were  all  sent  to  prepare  the 
way  for  the  appearance  of  the  Saviour  of  men  ;  ayd 
when  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory  camCf  he  gradually 
initiated  the  minds  of  men  to  receive  the  full  display 
of  his  mercy  and  his  divine  character.  But  now, 
forsooth,  those  who  assume  the  name  of  Missionaries, 
or,  in  another  word,  that  of  Apostles,  despise  this 
mode,  and  at  once  open  upon  the  poor  mind  of  the 
heathen,  the  whole  artillery  of  their  college  stores  of 
doctrine  and  wisdom,  forgetting  that  bodily  wants^ 
and  comforts  must  be  established,  before  the  minu 
can'  be  fitted  to  receive  instruction.  The  glad 
tidings  of  salvation  to  poor  sinners  can  be  taught 
without  books:  it  was  so  propagated  at  first :  it  is  a 
plain  statement  of  facts,  easy  to  be  recollected.  We 
have  several  accounts  of  the  manner  of  the  original 
publication  of  the  Gospel ;  especially  in  the  2d,  10th, 
and  1 3ih  of  •'  Acts."    The  things  therein  stated  were 


-~  75i5.-aii^  ■  „. 


■"»  -C.  ■ 


„  V.    ti-'  -'"' 


i  ..1  ■ 


CONVERT  THE  INDIANS.  97 

what  the  early  Christians  believed ;  and  in  the  mere 
belief  of  which  they  found  joy  and  salvation ;  .and 
such  things  the  Indians  are  fully  capable  of  bearing 
in  their  minds.  Until  we  return  to  the  simple  teach- 
ing of  the  primitive  apostles,  and  abandon  our 
school-wisdom,  success  with  the  Indians  cannot, 
I  feel  fully  persuaded,  be  looked  for  with  confidence. 
That  our  endeavours  hitherto,  have  indeed  been 
worse  than  ineffectual,  the  following  most  important 
letter  from  an  Indian  chief  to  the  governor  of  one 
of  the  United  States,  (New  York)  will  abundantly 
show. 

LETTER  FROM  RED  JACKET. 

Canandaiguat  I8ih  Jan.  1821. 
"brother  parrish, 

"  I  address  myself  to  you,  and  through  you  to  the 
governor. 

^'  The  chiefs  of  Onondaga  have  accompanied  you 
to  Albany,  to  do  business  with  the  governor  ;  I  also 
was  to  have  been  with  you,  but  I  am  sorry  to  say 
that  bad  health  has  put  it  out  of  my  power.  For 
this  you  must  not  think  hard  of  me.  I  am  not  to 
blame  for  it.  It  is  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit  that 
it  should  he  so. 

**  The  object  of  the  Onondagas  is  to  purchase  our 
lands  at  Tonnewanta.  This,  and  all  other  business 
that  they  may  have  to  do  at  Albany,  must  be  trans- 
acted in  the  presence  of  the  governor.  He  will  see 
that  the  bargain  is  fairly  made,  so  that  all  parties  may 
have  reason  to  be  satisfied  with  what  shall  be  done ; 
and  when  our  sanction  shall  be  wanted  to  the  trans- 
action it  will  be  freely  given. 

"  I  much  regret  that  at  this  time  the  state  of  my 
health  should  have  prevented  me  from  accompany- 
ing you  to  Albany,  as  it  was  the  wish  of  the  nation 
that  I  should  state  to  the  governor  some  circumstan- 
ces, which  show  that  the  chain  of  friendship  between 


s 


t 


<i       '  'M 


f 


IS 


r\ 


i 


IK 


I   . 


1 


98 


RECENT  ATTEMPTS  TO 


US  and  the  white  people  is  wearing  out  and  wants 
brightening. 

"  I  proceed  now,  however,  to  lay  them  before  you 
by  letter,  that  you  may  mention  them  to  the  gover- 
nor, and  solicit  redress.  He  is  appointed  to  do 
justice  to  all,  and  the  Indians  fully  confide  that  he 
will  not  sufier  them  to  be  wronged  with  impunity. 

"  The  first  subject  to  which  we  would  call  the  at- 
tention of  the  governor,  is  the  depredations  that  are 
daily  committed  by  the  white  people  upon  the  most 
valuable  timber  on  our  reservations.  This  has  been 
a  subject  of  complaint  with  us  for  many  years  ;  but 
now,  and  particularly  at  this  season  of  the  year, 
it  has  become  an  alarming  evil,  and  calls  for  the 
immediate  interposition  of  the  governor  in  our  behalf. 

"  Our  next  subject  of  complaint  is,  the  frequent 
thefts  of'  our  horses  and  cattle  by  the  white  people, 
and  their  habit  of  taking  and  using  them  whenever 
they  please,  and  without  our  leave.  These  are  evils 
which  seem  to  increase  upon  us  with  the  increase  of 
our  white  neighbours,  and  they  call  loudly  for 
redress. 

''  Another  evil  arising  from  the  pressure  of  the 
whites  upon  us,  and  our  unavoidable  communication 
with  them,  is  the  frequency  with  which  our  chiefs, 
and  warriors,  and  Indians,  are  thrown  into  jail,  and 
that  too  for  the  most  trifling  causes.  This  is  very 
galling  to  our  feelings,  and  ougbt  not  to  be  permitted 
to  the  extent  to  which,  to  gratify  their  bad  passions, 
our  white  neighbours  now  carry  this  practice. 

"  In  our  hunting  and  fishing  too,  we  are  greatly 
interrupted  by  the  whites.  Our  venison  is  stolen 
from  the  trees,  where  we  have  hung  it  to  be  re- 
claimed after  the  chase.  Our  hunting  camps  have 
been  fired  into,  and  we  have  been  warned  that  we 
shall  no  longer  be  permitted  to  pursue  the  deer  in 
those  forests  which  were  so  lately  all  our  own.  The 
fish,  which  in  the  Buffalo  and  Tonnewanta  Creeks, 
lised  to  supply  us  with  food,  are  now,  by  the  dams 


CONVERT  THE  INDIANS. 


9d 


and  other  obstructions  of  the  white  people,  prevented 
from  muhiplying,  and  we  are  almost  entirely  de- 
prived of  that  accustomed  sustenance. 

"  Our  Great  Father,   the  president,    has  recom- 
mended to   our   young   men  to  be  industrious,   to 
plough  and  to  sow.  This  we  have  done,  and  we  arc 
thankful  for  the  advic*-,    and  for  the  means  he  has 
afibrded  us  of  carrying  it  into  effect.     We  are  hap- 
pier in  consequence  of  It ;  but  another  thing  recom- 
mended to  us,  has  created  great  confusion  among  us, 
and  is  making  us  a  quarrelsome  and  divided  people; 
and  that  is,  the  introduction  of  preachers  into  our 
nation.  These  black-coats  contrive  to  get  the  consent 
of  some  of  the  Indians  to   preach  among  us,  and 
wherever  this  is  the  case,  confusion  and  disorder  are 
sure  to  follow,  and  the  encroachments  of  the  whites 
upon  our  lands,  are  the  invariable  consequence.  The 
governor  must  not  think  hard  of  me  for  speaking 
thus  of  the   prerchers ;  I   have  observed  their  pro- 
gress, and  when  1  look  back  to  see  what  has  taken 
place  of  old,  1  perceive  that  whenever  they  came 
.  among  the  Indians,  they  were  the  forerunners  of  their 
dispersion;   that  they   always  excited  enmities    and 
quarrels  among  them ;  that  they  introduced  the  white 
people  on  their  lands,  by  whom  they  were  robbed  and 
plundered  of  their    property;  and  thai  the  Indians 
were  sure  to  dwindle   and  decrease,  and   be  driven 
back   in  proportion  to  the  number  of  preachers  that 
came  among  them. 

"  Each  nation  has  its  own  customs  and  its  own 
religion.  The  Indians  have  theirs  given  to  them  by 
the  Great  Spirit,  under  which  they  were  happy.  It 
was  not  intended  that  they  should  embrace  the  reli- 
gion of  the  whites,  and  be  destroyed  by  the  attempt 
to  make  them  think  differently  on  that  subject  from, 
their  fathers. 

"  It  is  true  these  preachers  have  got  the  consent  of 
some  of  the  chiefs  to  stay  and  preach  among  us,  but 
I  and  my  friends  know  this  to  be  wrong,  and  that 


V'  M 


100 


RECENT  ATTEMPS  TO 


W 


\, 


they  ought  to  be  removed  ;  besides  we  have  been 
threatened  by  Mr.  Hyde,  who  came  among  us  as  a 
school-master  and  a  teacher  of  our  children,  but  has 
now  become  a  black-coat,  and  refused  to  teach  them 
any  more,  that  unless  we  listen  to  his  preaching  and 
become  christians,  we  will  be  turned  off  our  lands. 
We  wish  to  know  from  the  governor  if  this  is  to  be 
so,  and  if  he  has  no  right  to  say  so,  we  think  he 
ought  to  be  turned  off  our  lands,  and  not  allowed  to 
plague  us  any  more.  We  shall  never  be  at  peace 
while  \\e  is  among  us. 

"  We  are  afraid  too  that  these  preachers,  by  and 
by,  will  become  poor,  and  force  us  to  pay  them  for 
living  among  us^  -and  disturbing  ws. 

"  Some  of  our  chiefs  have  got  lazy,  and  instead  of 
cultivating  their  lands  themselves,  employ  white 
people  to  do  so.  There  are  now  eleven  white  fami- 
lies living  on  our  reservation  at  Bufialo ;  this  is 
wrong  and  ought  not  to  be  permitted.  The  great 
:?ource  of  all  our  grievances  is  that  the  white  men  are 
among  us.  Let  them  be  removed,  and  we  will  be 
happy  and  contented  among  ourselves.  We  now  cry 
to  the  governor  for  help,  and  hope  that  he  will  attend 
to  our  complaints,  and  speedily  give  us  redress. 

"  Red  Jacket." 

This  letter  was  dictated  by  Red  Jacket,  and  inter- 
preted by  Henry  Obeal,  in  the  presence  of  the  follow- 
ing Indians  : 

Red  Jacket's  son,  Corn  Planter, 

John  Cobb, 

Peter,  Young  King's  broiher, 

Tom  the  Infant, 

Blue  Sky, 

John  Sky, 

Jemmy  Johnson, 

Marcus, 

Big  Fire, 

Captain  Jemmy. 


- «-  -j^ 


MINTS    TO   MISSIONARIES. 


101 


The  mistakes  that  have  revailed  on  the  subject 
of  civilisation  in  general  ought  to  have  taught  us  to 
aJter  our  plans.  There  is  a  cry  in  favour  of  educa- 
tion, which  has  produced,  and  continues  to  produce, 
lasting  evils.  Education  is  now  understood  to  con- 
sist in  reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  and  knowledge 
of  languages;  and  by  the  application  of  these,  we 
are  told  that  the  miseries  and  crimes  which  pervade 
civilized  Europe  are  to  be  removed  ;  the  people  to 
be  made  happy ;  society,  in  short,  to  be  regene- 
rated. 

Jn  this  belief  the  mania  for  education  has  seized 
on  all  ranks;  yet  poverty,  discontent,  and  crime 
seem  to  keep  pace  with  all  our  endeavours.  If 
the  Indians  are  to  be  improved,  or  civilized,  "  Why 
education,  to  be  sure,  will  do  it :  that  is  all  that  is 
wanted.  But  the  education  must  be  commenced  by 
a  missionary,  and  this  missionary  must  undergo  a 
certain  series  of  scholastic  studies  to  bt  fitted  for  his 
duty."  Now  let  us  look  a  little  at  this,  the  usual 
mode  of  proceeding.  To  civilize  the  Heathen, 
thousands,  with  the  purest  zeal,  contribute  their 
schemes  ;  but  the  little  success  resulting  from  them 
all,  has  furnished  the  means  of  triumph  to  the  infidel 
and  deist,  occasioned  lukewarmness  in  many  who 
at  first  were  ardent  in  the  cause,  and  led  to  a 
conclusion  either  that'  the  subjects  of  such  philan- 
thropy ore  incapable  of  receiving  its  benefits;  that 
the  Almighty  has  decreed  that  the  time  is  not  yet 
come  for  their  condition  to  be  meliorated;  or  that 
such  attempts  are  made  merely  for  interested  and 
similar  ends.  I  appeal  to  all  who  have  had  an 
opportunity  of  knowing  the  general  character  of  mis- 
sionari  >s,  whether  the  following  brief  view  is  not  the 
mode  by  which  five  sixths  of  them  have  been  selected. 
Sermons  are  preached ;  prayer  meetings  are  held 
avowedly  to  promote  the  conversion  of  the  Heathen ; 
a  cry  is  heard,  "Who  will  devote  himself  to  the  ser- 
vice of  God  .^"     Hence  many  of  acknowledged  weak- 

rot.  I.  9 


-'-   v!*' •  ' 


102 


HINTS    TO  MISSIONARIf^S. 


'I 


\ 


M'^ 


ness  of  intellect,  and  some  whose  pecuniary  embar- 
rassments lead  them  to  seek  for  support  in  this 
way,  offer  to  undergo  perils  by  land  and  by  water 
in  this,  to  their  heated  or  interested  imaginations, 
glorious  work.  These  persons  are  accordingly 
sent  to  an  academy  to  learn  languages,  the  capacity 
for  which  constitutes  a  chief  ingredient  in  their  quali- 
fication. They  are  then  sent  forth,  at  a  considerable 
expense,  to  evangelize  the  Heathen  ;  and  their  great 
aim  is  to  preach  what  they  call  the  Gospel  Xo  the  old, 
and  to  civilize  the  young,  by  what  1  denominate,  fur 
sake  of  distinction,  ^^book  education.^* 

That  so  much  failure,  nay,  that  almost  uniform 
failure,  has  arisen  from  the  employment  of  such  in- 
struments, should  surely  have  been  expected ;  for, 
while  I  freely  admit  that  of  all  undertakings  this  is 
among  the  most  praise-worthy,  if  followed  with  a 
single  eye  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  good  of  man,  I 
feel  convinced  that  none  requires  more  profound 
knowledge  of  human  nature,  and  intimate  acquaint- 
ance, not  only  with  the  passions  of  others,  but  with 
our  own.  When  I  read  the  manner  in  which  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  taught  his  disciples,  I  find  that 
tlie  doctrines  concerning  himself  and  his  kingdom 
were  the  last  things  he  inculcated,  and  even  then 
very  sparingiy.  When  questions,  bearing  on  the 
subject,  were  excited  by  his  conduct  and  actions,  he 
answered  them;  but  never  made  ihe  doctrinal  the 
prominer?t  part  of  his  mission.  His  first  public  act 
was  in  administering  to  the  amusement  and  festivity 
of  the  people  by  converting  water  into  wine ;  thu 
next  was  attention  to  their  sick  ;  on  another  occa- 
sion he  provided  them  with  food ;  and  his  whole  di- 
vine life,  was  spent  in  going  about  promoting  their 
bodily  comforts,  having  in  ultimate  view  the  good 
of  their  souls  ;  so  that  the  great  object  was  kept,  as 
it  were,  in  the  buck-ground.  See  how  merciful  he 
was  to  their  offences  :  how  he  repressed  all  severity 
in  judging  or  condemning ;  and  evermore  refused  to 


s 

SI 


It 


l-*-%v,.l 


-^ 4.t>. 


HINTS    TO  MISniONAniES. 


103 


y  embar- 
rt  in  this 
I  by  wfttci' 
iginations, 
:cordingly 
le  capacity 
heir  quali- 
insiderable 
Iheir  great 
iothe  oW, 
ninate,  for 

ist  uniform 
of  such  in- 
lecled ;  for, 
rigs  this  is 

ed  with  a 
1  of  man,  I 
I  profound 
Le  acquaint- 
rs,  but  with 
1  which  the 

1  find  that 
his  kingdom 
lid  even  then 
ring   on  the 
d  actions,  he 
loctrinal  the 
rst  public  act 
and   festivity 
o  wine;    the 
mother  occa- 
his  whole  di- 
omoting  ibeir 
/iew  the  good 
t  was  kept,  as 
\v  merciful  he 
d  all  severity 
ore  refused  to 


be  a  ruler,  assuming  only  the  meek  and   lowly  rank 
of  one  that  served  ! 

In  short,  let  us  carefully  t'.\aminc  the  means  wliicli 
He,  w^o  had  the  hearts  of  jJl  men  in  his  hands,  and 
who  could  turn  them  as  lie  pleased,  adopted  for  the 
instruction  of  mankind,  and  much  light  will  be  af- 
forded in  all  future  attempts  to  instruct  those  nations 
denominated  heathen  or  savage.  The  Moravians, 
as  before  mentioned,  have  been  more  successful  than 
all  other  sects  put  together,  in  fonseqjjence,  I  con- 
ceive, of  ihi^ir  having  had  more  i  i'jj;ard  to  the  Chris- 
tian plan  as  adverted  to.    • 

The  following  hints  1  ofler  witti  lu.mility,  as  means 
which,  from  my  ob.-iervntion  of  mun  in  his  natiu'al 
and  polished  state,  appear,  to  nio  at  least,  likely  to 
succeed  : 

The  Indians,  as  already  showi:,  are  fond  of  silver 
rijigs,  collars,  and  other  trinkel.-.  as  ornaments  of 
dress;  of  music,  fishing,  and  huin.og,  as  sources  of 
amusement ;  and  are  by  no  means  insensible  to  the 
bodily  advantages  arising  from  a  store  of  food  and 
clothing  against  a  time  of  want. 

Upon  these,  their  main  desires,  I  would  found  my 
plan. 

I  would  select  a  blacksmitl*,  provide  him  \yith  a 
portable  forge,  portable  scatulings  of  iron,  and  all 
necessary  instruments  for  polishing  iron  and  cop- 
per. .  There  should  also  be  a  man  uniting  the  car- 
penter's and  caf-t  maker's  trades,  well  furnished  with 
suitable  tools,  'i'o  these  i  would  add  one  or  two 
persons  who  could  play  on  the  clarionet,  flute, 
violin,  or  other  musical  instrument  of  simple  con- 
struction. This  establishment  should  be  under  the 
superintendence  of  a  man  of  discretion,  divested 
of  gloomy  habits  and  those  false  views  that  con- 
nect austerity  of  manners  with  the  essentials  of 
Christianity.  He  should  make  allowance  for  the 
prejudices  and  passions  of  those  under  his  charge, 
that  he  might  the  better  give   them  a  just  direc- 


A'' 


■'r 


104 


HINTS    TO    UISSlONARfCS'. 


tion ;  and,  especially  in  the  commencement  of  his 
authority,  he  should  deal  tenderly  with  offences,  re- 
doubling  his  care  with  regard  to  the  delinquent. 

Under  the  eye  of  such  a  person,  the  oporations 
should  begin  in  a  fertile  place,  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  such  of  the  tribes  as  might  desire  an  establish- 
ment of  thi$  nature  ;  making  the  pleasures  of  music, 
or  the  possession  of  manufactures,  the  reward  for 
devoting  themselves  to  industry.  In  this  way  I 
would  assist  them  in  building  houses,  so  as  to  induce 
them  to  value  a  fixed  habitation  ;  and  the  house  so 
built  should  belong  to  the  tribe  to  bestow  as  they 
pleased.  By  repairing  their  tools  and  instruments 
of  agriculture,  assisting  in  raising  their  houses,  in 
structing  such  as  wished  it  to  handle  the  ax  for  their 
own  benefit,  and  making  the  hearing  and  learning  of 
music  the  reward  for  industry,  I  should  confidently 
hope  to  induce  some  few  to  abandon  the  migratory 
life  they  have  hitherto  led,  which,  in  my  opinion,  is  the 
most  important  point  to  be  gained.  Afler  this  shall  be 
firmly  established,  a  time  will  gradually  come  c  n 
when  the  inculcation  of  book-knowledge  will  be  high- 
ly beneficial  j  but  in  our  early  efforts  it  is  worse  than 
useless.  If  the  Indian  can  be  prevailed  on  to  aid  in 
building  a  house ;  if  he  finds  there  a  solace  after  his 
fatigues,  and  the  means  of  allaymg  his  hunger,  I  am 
warranted  by  all  that  1  have  seen  and  heard,  in  as- 
serting that  the  best  rudiments  of  civilization  will  be 
immovably  fixed. 

The  above  establishment  should  be  capable  of 
being  transferred  from  tribe  to  tribe.  Its  members 
should  have  their  wives  and  families  with  ther.) ;  no 
man  should  be  sent  without  his  wife  on  any  account. 

The  party  should,  moreover,  consist  of  persons 
duly  sensible  of  the  blessings  and  privileges  of  the 
Christian  religion,  and  shbuld  at  stated  times  assem- 
ble for  worship,  paying  great  attention  to  solemnity, 
decorum  and  order,  in  doing  so ;  yet  having  especial 
care  to  avoid  all  kind   of  constraint  with  regard  ta 


HINTS    TO   MISSIONARIES. 


105 


the  Indians,  or  any  species  of  penalty  for  non-attend- 
ance on   their  part.     The  Lord's  day  should  never- 
theless be  truly  kept  as  a  Sabbatii  by  all,  3S  far  as 
cessation   from  worldly  labour  is  concerned.     The 
Indians  should  be  told  the  reason  of  resting  thereon  ; 
that  such  rest  was  first  instituted  by  God  to  perpetu- 
ate the  remembrance  of  his  having  created  the  world, 
and  all  things  therein  ;  and  latteily  to  keep  in  the 
.minds  of  men  the  memory  that  Christ  arose  from  the 
dead  on  die  first  day  of  the  week,  having  completed 
the  work  of  redemption.     The  good  news  of  salva- 
tion to  sinners  of  all  nations,  through  the  atonement 
on    the    cross,  should    be  proclaimed  with  joy  and 
praise  and  thanksgiving,  and  not  with  those  gloomy 
severities,  which  are  regarded  as  true  piety  by  many. 
The  Indians  would  thus  be  led  to  inquire  concerning 
God  aiirl  the  Saviour  j  when  portions  of  the  Bible, 
descriptive  of  the  attributes  of  the  Most  High,  and 
the  life  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  should  be  read  ;  carefully 
avoiding  to  pass  from  one  portion  until  it  should  be 
firmly  fixed  in  their  recollection,  (of  which  their  ca- 
pacity  is  great,)  nor  until  they  desired  to  hear  more. 
These  means,  always  accompanied  by  kindness  and 
sympathy,  I  confidently  hope  God  would   approve 
and  bless. 

I  by  no  means  desire  to  be  understood  as  wishing 
to  discourago  the  efibrts  of  persons  who  may  differ 
with  my  views  of  the  subject ;  neither  do  I  arroga'a 
that  those  I  have  set  forth  are  infallible  ;  but  I  do 
conceive  that  the  great  qualification  of  humility,  of 
being  and  •^.''ting  as  a  servant  to  the  heaihen,  has  not 
been  sufficiently  tried.  Few  men  can  resist  ihz  temp- 
tation of  power,  when  within  reach ;  and  1  have 
proofs  too  abundant,  before  me,  that  many  who 
seem  humble  before  their  superiors,  are  haughly  and 
tyrannical  among  the  Indians.  The  letter  from  Red 
Jacket  to  Governor  Clinton,  quoted  in  this  chapter, 
shows  how  wide  this  evil  has  spread ;  and  I  fear  th^ 
s^h'ii  of  IMr.  Hvde  is  not  so  lare  as,  for  the  iionoiy^ 

9*  ^ 


m 


auat^^ 


106 


HINTS    TO   MISSIONARIES. 


I 


of  human  nature,  one  could  wish  it  to  be.  I^o  spe- 
cies of  vileness  can  be  more  injurious,  or  more  oppo- 
sed to  the  example  of  Christ  and  his  Apostles. 

I  have  been  lead  to  recommend  music,  as  i  found 
that  of  the  articles  sent  here  by  the  British  Govern- 
ment, a  large  quantity  oi  jews'  harps,  (the  parent  of 
all  instruments,)  were  selected  b^  the  Indians  in  pre- 
ference to  knives,  and  other  valuable  articles.  Is 
there  any  sentence  more  common  than  the  following* 
words  of  the  poet  ?  ^ 

Music  hath  charms  to  soothe  the  savage  breast, 
To  soften  rocks,  and  bend  the  knotted  oak  1 

Yet  when  and  where  has  it  been  tried  as  ^n  auxiliary 
in  the  work  of  civilization  ? 


Mil 


t. 


M     / 


107 


CHAPTER  X. 

ttCMONSTBANCES    OF    THE  INDIANS  TO   THE    GOVERN*^ 
HENT  OF  THE  UNITED    STATES    IN    1790. 


It  is  ifo  less  curious  tl)an  lamentable  to  observe  the 
uniform  and  withering  persecution  which  the  Indians 
have  laboured  under  from  their  earliest  acquaintance 
with  white  men  to  the  present  day.  Whatever  dis- 
similarity may  have  existed  in  the  characteristics, 
political  and  moral,  of  the  various  nations  of  Europe, 
they  seem  to  have  resembled  each  other  in  this  one 
thing,  namely,  inextinguishable,  unsparing  oppression 
of  the  North  American  Indians.  D'Uch,  French, 
English,  and  even  those  who.  in  one  sense,  may  be 
termed  their  own  countrymen,  the  citizens  of  the 
United  States,  have  all  agreed  in  keeping  no  faiti> 
with  the  original  inhabitants  of  this  vast  continent. 
No :  their  dominions  were  too  fertile  in  sources  of 
wealth,  for  them  to  expect  any  thing  like  fair-deal- 
ing from  their  refined  invaders,  who  first  flattered 
and  cajoled  them,  and  then  rewarded  their  hospitali- 
ty with  the  sword  and  the  cannon.  The  United 
States,  especially  about  the  time  of  their  struggle 
with  the  mother-country  for  their  own  independence, 
Jt  anight  be  thought  would  have  had  so  lively  a  sense  of 
Me  value  and  blessing  of  liberty,  as  not  to  attempt 
any  undue  control  or  tyranny  over  their  red  bre- 
thren ;  but  alas,  like  other  nations,  their  worship  of 
freedom  was  nut  as  it  existed  in  the  abstract,  but  OH'- 
ly  as  it  afiected  their  own  happiness. 

This  will  be  illustrated  in  the  following  interesting 
correspondence  between  the  Senecas  and  General 
Washington,  in  1790. 


y 


'\ 


'.J 


n 


» 


108 


RBMONSTRA?TCES  OT 


1- 


To  the  Great  Council  of  the  Thirteen  Fires.*  The 
Speech  of  Corn  Plants  Half  Town,  and  Big  Tree, 
Chiefs  and  Counsellors  of  the  Seneca  JVation. 

Father  J — ^The  voice  of  the  Seneca  Nations  speaks 
to  you,  the  great  counsellor,  in  whose  heart  the 
wise  men  of  all  the  Thirteen  Fires  have  placed  their 
wisdom  ;  it  may  be  very  small  in  your  ears,  and  we 
therefore  entreat  you  to  hearken  with  attention,  for 
we  are  about  to  speak  of  things  which  are  to  us  very 
gJ'eat. 

When  your  army  entered  the  country  «f  the  Six 
Nations,  we  called  you  the  town^destroyer ;  and  to 
this  day,  when  your  name  is  heard,  our  women  look 
behind  them  and  turn  pale',  and  our  children  cling 
close  to  the  necks  of  their  mothers.  Our  counsellors 
and  warriors  are  men,  and  cannot  be  afraid  ;  but 
their  hearts  are  grieved  with  the  fears  of  our  women 
and  children,  and  desire  that  it  maybe  buried  so  deep 
as  to  be  heard  no  more. 

When  you  gave  us  peace  we  called  you  father, 
because  you  promised  to  secure  us  in  the  possession 
of  our  lands.  Do  this,  and  so  long  as  the  land  shall 
remain,  that  beloved  name  shall  be  in  the  heart  of 
every  Seneca. 

Father, — We  mean  to  open  our  hearts  before  you, 
and  we  earnestly  desire  that  you  will  let  us  clearly 
understand  what  you  resolve  to  do. 

When  our  chiefs  returned  from  the  treaty  at  Fort 
Stanwix,  and  laid  before  our  council  what  had  been 
done  there,  our  nation  was  surprised  to  hear  how 
great  a  country  you  had  compelled  them  to  give  up 
to  you,  without  your  paying  to  us  any  thing  for  it. 
Every  one  said,  that  your  hearts  were  yet  swelled 
with  resentment  against  us  for  what  had  happened 
during  the  war,  but  that  one  day  you  would  consider 

*  Thirteen  States. 


L 


THE  INDIANS  IN  1790. 


lOff 


It  with  more  kindness.     We  asked  each  other,  what 
have  we  done  to  deserve  such  severe  chastisement  f 

Father, — ^When  you  kindled  your  Thirteen  Fires 
separate!}',*  the  wise  men  assembled  at  them  told  us, 
that  you  were  all  brothers ;  the  children  of  one  great 
father,  who  regarded  the  red  people  as  his  children. 
They  called  us  brothers,  and  invited  us  to  his  pro- 
tection. They  told  us  that  he  resided  beyond  the 
great  water  where  the  sun  first  rises  ;  that  hd  was  a 
king  whose  power  no  people  could  resist,  and  that 
his  goodness  was  as  bright  as  the  sun  :  what  they 
said  went  to  our  hearts.  We  accepted  the  invitation, 
and  promised  to  obey  him.  What  the  Seneca  Na- 
tioii  promises  they  faithfully  perform ;  and  when  you 
refused  obedience  to  that  king,  he  commanded  us  to 
assist  his  beloved  men  in  making,  you  sober.  In 
obeying  him,  we  did  no  more  than  yourselves  had  led 
us  to  promise.  The  men  who  claimed  this  promise 
told  us,  that  you  were  childi'en  and  had  no  guns ; 
thai  when  they  had  shaken  you,  you  would  submit. 
We  hearkened  unto  thera,  and  were  deceived  until 
your  army  approached  our  towns.  We  were  de- 
ceived, but  your  people  teaching  us  to  confide  in  that 
king,  had  helped  to  deceive  us,  and  we  now  appeal 
to  your  heart,  is  all  the  blame  ours  f 

father, — When  we  saw  that  we  had  been  deceived, 
and  heard  the  invitation  which  you  gave  us  to  draw 
near  to  the  fire  you  had  kindled  and  talk  with  you 
concerning  peace,  we  made  haste  toward  it.  You 
then  told  us  you  could  crush  us  to  nothing,  and  you 
demanded  from  us  a  gieat  couutry,  as  the  price  of 
that  peace  which  you  had  oflered  to  us ;  as  if  our 
want  of  strength  had  destroyed  our  rights.  Our 
chiefs  had  felt  your  power  and  were  unable  to  con- 
tend against  you,  and  they  therefore  gave  up  that 
country.  What  they  agreed  to  has  bound  our  na- 
tion ;  but  your  anger  against  us  must  by  this  time 

^  before  the  uulou  of  the  States, 


5  .,^ 


f  f 


i 


ri^ 


rr<  'hj 


w 


11  iM'    ¥r 


] 


I 

* 


iio 


REMONSTRANCES  OF 


be  cooled,  and  although  our  strength  is  not  increased, 
nor  3'our  power  become  less,  we  ask  you  to  consider 
calmly  :  \\'<'re  the  terms  dictated  to  us  by  your  com- 
missioners reasonable  and  just  f 

Father, — Your  commissioners,  when  they  drew 
the  line  which  separated  the  land  then  given  up  to 
you,  from  that  which  you  agreed  should  remain  to 
be  ours,  did  most  solemnly  promise,  that  we  should 
be  secured  in  the  peaceable  possession  of  the  land 
which  we  inhabited,  east  and  north  of  that  line. — 
Does  this  promise  bind  you  ? 

Hear  now,  we  entreat  you,  what  has  since  hap- 
pened concerning  that  land.  C3n  the  day  we  finish- 
ed the  treaty  at  Fort  Stanwix,  commissioners  from 
Pennsylvania  told  our  chiefs,  that  they  had  come 
there  to  purchase  from  lines  of  their  state  ;  and  the}' 
told  us  that  all  the  lands  belonging  to  us  within  the 
line,  would  strike  the  river  Susquehanna  below  Tioga 
branch.  They  then  left  us  to  consider  of  the  bar- 
gain until  next  day.  The  next  day  we  let  them 
know,  that  we  were  unwilling  to  sell  all  the  land 
within  their  state,  and  proposed  to  let  them  have  a 
part  of  it,  which  we  pointed  out  to  them  in  their  map. 
They  told  us  that  they  must  have  the  whole,  that  it 
was  already  ceded  to  them  by  the  great  king,  at  the 
time  of  making  peace  with  you,  and  was  then  their 
own  ;  but  they  said  that  they  would  not  take  advan- 
tage of  that,  and  were  willing  to  pay  us  for  it,  after 
the  manner  of  their  ancestors.  Our  chiefs  were  una- 
ble to  contend  at  that  time,  and  therefore  they  sold 
the  lands  up  to  the  line,  which  was  then  shown  them 
as  the  line  of  that  state.  What  the  commissioners 
bad  said  about  the  land  having  been  ceded  to  them 
at  the  peace,  they  considered  as  intended  only  to  les- 
sen the  price,  and  they  passed  it  by  with  very  little 
notice  ;  but  since  that  time  we  have  heard  so  much 
from  others  about  the  right  to  our  lands  which  the 
king  gave  when  you  made  peace  with  him,  that  it  is 
pur  earnest  desire  that  you  will  tell  us  what  it  means, 


/•/ 


THE  INDIANS  IN  1700. 


Ill 


Our  nation  empowered  J.  L.  to  let  out  a  part  of 
our  lands  ;  he  told  us  that  he  was  sent  by  Congress 
to  do  this  for  us,  and  we  fear  he  has  deceived  us  in 
the  writing  he  obtained  from  us  ;  for  since  the  time 
of  our  giving  that  power,  a  man  named  P — ,  has 
come  and  claimed  our  whole  country  northward  of 
the  line  of  Pennsylvania,  under  a  purchase  from 
that  L.  to  whom  he  said  he  had  paid  twenty  thou- 
sand dollars  for  it ;  he  also  said,  that  he  had  bought 
it  from  the  council  of  the  Thirteen  Fires,  and  paid 
them  twenty  thousand  more  for  the  same  ;  and  he 
also  said, that  it  did  not  belong  to  us,  for  that  the 
great  king  had  ceded  the  whole  of  it,  when  you 
made  peace  with  him.  Thus  he  claimed,  the  whole 
country  north  of  Pennsylvania,  and  west  of  the  lands 
belonging  to  the  Cayugas.  He  demanded  it ;  he 
insisted  on  his  demand,  and  declared  to  us  that  he 
would  have  it  all.  It  was  impossible  for  us  to  grant 
him  this,  and  we  immediately  refused  it.  After  some 
days  he  proposed  to  run  a  line  a  small  distance  east- 
ward of  our  western  boundary,  which  we  also  refused 
to  agree  to.  He  then  threatened  us  with  immediate 
war  "f  we  did  not  comply. 

Upon  this  threat  our  chiefs  held  a  conncil,  ind 
they  agreed  that  no  event  of  war  could  be  worse 
than  to  be  driven,  with  our  wives  and  children,  from 
the  only  country  which  we  had  any  right  to  ;  and 
therefore,  weak  as  our  nation  was,  they  determined 
to  take  the  chance  of  war  rather  than  submit  to  such 
unjust  demands,  which  seemed  to  have  no  bounds. 
Mr.  Street,  the  great  trader  at  Niagara,  was  then 
with  us,  having  come  at  the  request  of  P —  ;  and  as 
he  had  always  professed  to  be  our  great  friend,  we 
consulted  him  on  this  subject.  He  also  told  us  that 
our  lands  had  been  ceded  by  the  king,  and  that  we 
must  give  them  up.  Astonished  at  what  we  heard 
from  every  quarter,  with  hearts  aching  with  com- 
passion for  our  women  and  children,  we  were  thus 
compelled  to  give  up  all   our  county  north  of  the 


V 


t.t  I 


112 


RfillONSTRANCES  OS 


line  of  Pennsylvania,  and  east  of  the  Chenesee  river 
up  to  the  great  forks,  and  east  of  a  sooth-line  drawn 
up  from  that  fork  to  the  line  of  Pennsylvania.  For 
this  land  P.  agreed  to  pay  us  ten  thousand  dollars 
in  hand,  and  one  thousand  dollars  a  year  for  ever. 
He  paid  us  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  and 
he  sent  for  us  to  come  last  spring  and  receive  our 
money  ;  but  instead  of  paying  us  the  residue  (or  re- 
mainder) of  the  ten  thousand  dollars,  and  the  one 
thousand  dollars  due  for  the  first  year,  be  ofiered 
only  five  hundred  dollars,  and  insisted  that  he  had 
agreed  with  us  for  that  sum  to  be  paid  yearly. 

We  debated  with  him  for  -six  days,  during  all 
which  time  he  persisted  in  refusing  to  pay  us  our 
Just  demand  ;  and  he  insisted  that  we  should  receive 
tlie  five  hundred  dollars  ;  and  Street  from  Niagara 
also  insisted  on  our  receiving  the  money  as  it  was 
ofiered  us.  The  last  reason  which  he  assigned  for 
continuing  to  refuse  paying  us  was — that  the  king  had 
ceded  the  land  to  the  Thirteen  Fires,  and  that  he 
had  bought  them  from  you  and  paid  you  for  them. 

Father^ — We  could  bear  this  confusion  no  longer 
and  determined  to  press  through  every  difficulty, 
and  lift  up  our  voice  so  that  you  might  hear  us,  and 
to  claim  that  security  in  the  possession  of  our  lands, 
which  your  commissioners  so  solemnly  promised  us  ; 
and  we  now  entreat  you  to  inquire  into  our  com- 
plaints, and  to  redress  our  wrongs. 

Father^ — Our  writings  were  lodged  in  the  hands 
of  S.  of  Niagara,  as  we  supposed  him  to  be  our 
friend  ;  but  when  we  saw  P.  consulting  S.  on 
every  occasion,  we  doubted  of  his  honesty  towards 
us  ;  and  we  have  since  heard  that  he  was  to  receive 
for  his  endeavours  to  deceive  us,  a  piece  of  land  ten 
miles  in  width  west  of  the  Chenesee  river  ;  and  near 
ibrty  miles  in  length  extending  to  lake  Ontario  ; 
and  the  lines  of  this  tract  have  been  run  accordingly, 
although  no  part  of  it  is  within  the  bounds  which 
limit  this  purchase. 


:-%^w 


^t:^-- 


THE  INDIANS  IN  lYOO 


11^ 


>  our  com- 


Father^ — ^Yoii  have  said  that  we  were  in  your 
;lic  ikI,  and  that  by  closing  it  yon  could  crush  us  to 
nothing.  Are  you  then  determined  to  crush  us  ?  IT 
you  are,  tell  us  so,  that  those  of  our  nation  who  have 
become  your  children,  and  have  determined  to  die 
so,  may  know  what  to  do.  In  this  case  one  chief 
has  said,  he  would  ask  you  to  put  him  out  of  his 
j)ain.  Another,  who  will  not  think  of  dying  by  the 
hand  of  his  father,  or  of  his  brother,  has  said  he  will 
rotire  to  the  Chalaughque,  eat  of  the  fatal  root,  and 
sleep  with  his  fathers  in  peace. 

Before  you  determine  a  measure  so  unjust,  look 
lip  to  God,  who  made  us  as  well  a^  yon  ;  we  iiope 
he  will  not  permit  you  to  destroy  the  whole  of  our 
nation. 

Father, — Hear  our  case  :  Many  nations  inhabited 
this  country,  but  they  had  no  wisdom,  therefore  they 
warred  together  ;  ilie  Six  Nations  were  powerful 
and  compelled  them  to  pea<:e.  The  land  for  a  great 
extent  was  given  up  to  them,  but  the  nations  which 
were  not  destroyed  all  continued  on  those  lands  : 
and  claimed  the  protection  of  the  Six  Nations,  as 
brothers  of  their  fatiiers.  They  were  men,  and 
when  at  peace  had  a  riglit  to  live  upon  the  earth. 

The  French  came  among  us,  and  bu5lt  Niagara; 
they  became  our  fathers,  and  took  care  of  us.  Sir, 
AVilliam  Johnson  rame,  and  took  that  fort  from  the 
French  ;  he  became  our  father,  and  promised  to  take 
care  of  us,  and  he  did  so  until  you  were  too  strong 
for  his  king.  To  him  we  gave  four  miles  round 
Niagara,  as  a  pliice  of  trade.  We  have  already  said 
how  we  came  to  join  against  you  ;  we  saw  that  we 
were  wrong,  we  wished  for  peace,  you  demanded  a 
great  country  to  be  given  up  to  you,  it  was  sur- 
rendered to  you  as  the  price  of  peace,  and  we  ought 
to  have  peace  and  possession  of  the  little  land  which 
you  then  left  us. 

Father, — When  that  great  country  was  given  up 
to   you    there  were  but  tew  chiefs  present,  and  they 

vol..  I.  10 


f' 


^...rt 


(14 


REMONSTRANCES  OP 


III'  I'JS 


were  compelled  to  give  it  up.  And  it  is  not  the  Sik 
Nations  only  that  reproach  those  chiefs  with  having 
given  up  that  country.  The  Chipaways,  and  all  the 
nations  who  lived  on  these  lands  westward,  call  to 
us,  and  ask  us,  "Brothers  of  our  fathers,  where  is 
the  place  which  you  have  reserved  for  us  to  lie  down 
upon  .'"' 

Father^ — You  have  compelled  us  to  do  that  which 
makes  us  ashamed.  We  have  nothing  to  answer  to 
the  children  of  the  brothers  of  our  fathers.  When 
last  spring  they  called  upon  us  to  go  to  \\nr  to  se- 
cure them  a  bed  to  lie  down  upon,  the  Senecas 
entreated  them  to  be  qnief  until  we  had  spoken  to 
you  ;  but  on  our  way  down,  we  heard  that  your 
army  had  gone  towards  the  country  which  those  na- 
tions inhabited  ;  and  if  they  meet  together,  the  best 
blood  on  both  sides  will  stain  the  ground. 

Father, — We  will  not  conceal  from  you  that  the 
great  God,  and  not  men,  has  preserved  the  Corn 
Plant  from  the  hands  of  his  own  nation.  For  they 
ask  continually,  "  Where  is  the  land  on  which  our 
children,  and  their  children  after  them,  arc  to  lie 
down  upon  .''  ,You  told  us,"  say  they,  "  that  the  line 
drawn  from  Pennsylvania  to  Lake  Ontario,  would 
mark  it  forever  on  the  east,  and  the  line  runnintc  from 
JBeaver  Creek  to  Pennsylvania,  would  mark  it  on 
the  west,  and  we  see  that  it  is  not  so  ;  for  first  one, 
and  then  another,  come  and  take  it  away  by  order 
of  that  people  which  you  tell  us  promised  to  secure 
it  to  us."  He  is  silent,  for  he  has  nothing  to  answer. 
When  the  sun  goes  down  he  opens  his  heart  before 
God  ;  and  earlier  than  the  sun  appears  again  upon 
the  hills  he  gives  thanks  for  his  protection  during  the 
night ;  for  he  feels  that  among  men,  become  despe- 
rate by  the  injuries  they  sustain,  it  is  God  only  that 
can  preserve  him.  He  loves  peace,  and  all  he  had 
in  store  he  has  given  to  those  who  have  been  robbed 
by  your  people,  lest  they  should  plunder  the  inno- 
cent to  repay  themselves.     The  whole  season,  wliich 


...wwi^  f'SS'- 


THE   INDIANS    IN    1790. 


115 


Others  liavc  employed  in  providing'  for  tlicir  fami- 
iios,  he'  lias  spent  in  endeavours  to  preserve  peare  : 
and  tliis  moment  his  wife  and  children  are  lying  on 
the  gi*oinid,  and  in  want  of  food  :  his  heart  is  in  pain 
for  tliem,  but  he  perceives  that  the  Gi'cat  Spirit  will 
(ry  his  firmness  in  doing  what  is  ri^bt. 

Father, — The  game  which  the  Great  Spirit  sent 
into  our  country  for  us  (o  eat,  is  going  from  among 
us.  We  thought  he  intended  we  sliould  till  the 
giound  with  the  plough  as  the  white  people  do,  and 
we  talked  to  one  another  about  it.  But  before  we 
speak  to  you  concerning  this,  we  must  know  from 
you  whether  you  mean  to  leave  us  and  our  children 
any  land  to  till.  Speak  plainly  to  us  concerning  this 
groat  business. 

All  the  land  we  have  been  speaking  of  belonged  to 
the  Six  Nations  :  no  part  of  it  ever  belonged  to  the 
King  of  England,  and  he  could  not  give  it  up  to  you. 
The  land  we  live  on  our  fathers  received  from  God, 
and  they  transmitted  it  to  us  for  our  children,  and  we 
cartiiot  part  with  it. 

Father i — We  told  you  that  wc  would  open  our 
Iiearts  to  you  :  hear  us  once  more.  At  Fort  Stanwi.v 
we  agreed  to  deliver  up  those  of  our  people  who 
should  do  you  any  wrong,  and  that  you  might  try 
them  and  punish  them  according  to  your  law.  We 
delivered  up  two  men  accordingly ;  but  instead  of 
trying  them  according  to  your  law,  the  lowest  of 
your  people  took  them  from  your  magistrate,  and 
put  them  immediately  to  death.  It  is  just  to  punish 
the  murderer  with  death,  but  the  Senecas  will  not 
deliver  up  their  people  to  men  v/ho  disregard  the 
treaties  of  their  own  nation. 

L\ither^ — Innocent  men  of  our  nation  are  killed, 
one  after  another,  and  of  our  best  families  ;  but  none 
of  your  people  who  have  committed  those  murders 
have  been  punished.  We  recollect  that  you  did 
promise  to  punish  those  who  killed  our  people  ;  and 
f/e  ask,  was  it  intended  that  your  people  should  kill 


I 


m 


iH 


no 


llEMONSTnANCES    Or 


llie  Sciiccas,  and  not  only  remain   unpunished,  but 
be  protected  from  the  next  of*  kin  ? 

Father^ — Tliese  arc  to  us  very  j^reat   things;  wr 
Know  that  you  arc  very  stronp:,  and  we  have  heard 
that  you  are  wise,  and  we    shall  wait  to   hear    vour 
answer  that  we  may  know  timi  you  arc  just. 
Signed  at  Philadelphia,  December,  1790. 

his 
By  the  Corn  -|-  Plant, 
mark, 
his 
Half  -f  Town, 
**  mark, 

his 
Bio  +  Tree, 
mark. 
In  the  presence  of 

Jostrn  Nicholson,  Interpreter, 
and  sundry  others. 


The  Reply  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  to 
the  Speech  of  the  Corn  Plant,  Half  Town,  and 
Big  Tree,  (  kiefs  and  Counsellors  of  the  Seneca 
JVaiion  of  Indians, 

I,  the  President  of  (he  United  States,  by  my  own 
iuouth,  and  by  a  written  speech,  signed  by  my  own 
band,  and  sealed  with  the  seal  of  the  United  States, 
speak  to  the  Spneca  Nations,  and  desire  their  atten- 
tion, that  they  would  keep  this  speech  in  remem- 
brance of  the  friendship  of  the  United  States.  I 
have  received  your  Speech  with  satisfaction,  as  a 
'proof  of  your  confidence  in  the  justice  of  the  United 
States ;  and  I  have  attentively  examined  the  several 
objects  which  you  have  laid  before  me,  whether  de- 
•livered  by  your  chiefs  at  Tioga  Point  in  the  last 
month  to  Colonel  Pickering,  or  laid  before  me  in  the 


tut:   INDIANS   IN    1790.' 


IK 


present    raonth    by  Corn  Plant  and  otbcr  Seneca 
Ciiiefs  now  in  Philadelphia. 

In  the  first  place,  I  observe  to  you,  and  I  request 
it  may  sink  deep  in  your  minds,  that  it  is  my  desire, 
and  the  desire  of  the  United  Stales,  that  all  the  mise- 
ries of  the  late  war  should  be  forgotten,  and  buried 
for  ever.  That,  in  future,  the  United  Stales  and  the 
Six  Nations  should  be  truly  brothers,  promoting 
each  other's  prosperity  by  acts  of  mutual  friendship 
and  justice. 

I  am  not  uninformed  that  the  Six  Nations  have 
been  led  into  some  diOiculties  with  respect  to  the 
sale  of  their  lands  since  the  peace.  But  I  must  in- 
Ibrm  you  that  these  evils  arose  before  the  general 
government  of  the  United  States  was  established, 
when  the  separate  slates,  and  individuals  under  their 
authority,  undertook  to  treat  with  the  Indian  tribes 
respecting  the  sale  of  their  lands. 

But  the  case  is  now  entirely  altered.  The  general 
government  only  has  the  power  to  treat  wiiji  the 
Indian  Nation,  and  any  treaty  formed  and  held  with- 
out its  authority  will  not  be  binding. 

Here  then  is  the  security  for  the  remainder  of 
your  lands.  No  state  or  person  can  purchase  your 
lands,  unless  at  some  public  treaty  held  under  the 
authority  of  ihc  United  States.  The  general  govern- 
ment will  never  consent  to  your  being  defrauded, 
but  it  will  protect  you  in  all  your  rights.  Hear  well, 
and  let  it  be  heard  by  every  person  in  your  nation^ 
that  the  President  of  the  United  States  declares  that 
ihe  general  goverjmicnt  considers  itself  bound  tp 
protect  you  in  all  the  lands  secured  3'ou  by  the  treaty 
at  Fort  Stanwix,  the  22d  day  of  October,  1784,  ex- 
cept such  parts  as  you  may  since  have  fairly  sold  to 
persons  properly  authorized  to  purchase  of  you. 

You  complain  that  J —  L —  and  O —  P —  have 
obtained  your  lands,  assisted  by  Mr.  S —  of  Niagara, 
and  that  they  have  not  complied  with  their  agrC'e- 
ment. 

10* 


J' 


118 


nKMONSTRANCES  Of 


It  appears,  upon  inquiry  of  the  governor  of  New- 
York,  that  J —  L —  was  not  legally  autliorised  to 
•treat  with  you,  and  that  every  thing  he  did  with  you 
lias  been  declared  null  and  void,  so  that  you  may 
rest  easy  on  that  account. 

But  it  does  not  appear  from  any  proofs,  yet  in  the 
jiossession  of  government,  that  O —  P —  has  de- 
irauded  you.  If  hovrever  you  should  have  any  just 
cause  of  complaint  against  him,  and  can  make  satis- 
factory proof  thereof,  the  Federal  Courts  will  be 
open  to  you  for  redress,  as  to  all  other  persons.* 

But  your  great  object  seems  to  be,  the  security  of 
your  remaining  lands,  and  It  have  therefore  upon  this 
point  meant  to  bi*  sufilciently  strong  and  clear. 

That  in  future  you  cannot  be  defrauded  of  your 
■lands.  That  you  possess  the  right  to  sell,  and  the 
right  of  refusing  to  sell  your  lands  ;  that  therefore 
the  sale  of  your  lands,  in  future,  will  depend  entirely 
on  yourselves. 

But  that  when  you  may  find  it  for  3  our  interest  to 
sell  any  part  of  your  lands,  the  United  States  must 
be  present  by  their  agent,  and  will  be  your  security 
that  you  shall  not  be  defrauded  in  the  bargain  you 
may  make. 

It  will  however  be  important,  that,  before  you 
make  any  further  sale  of  your  land,  you  should  de- 
termine among  yourselves,  who  are  the  persons 
among  you  that  shall  give  such  conveyances  thereof, 
as  shall  be  binding  upon  your  nation,  and  for  ever 
preclude  all  disputes  relative  to  the  validity  of  the 
sgle. 

That,  besides  the  before-mentioned  security  for 
your  land,  you  will  perceive,  by  the  laws  of  Con- 
gress, for  regulating  trade  and  intercourse  with  the 
Indian  tribes,  the  fatherly  care  the  United  States 
intend  to  take  of  the  Indians.     For  the  particulav 

*  Refening  an  ludian  Chief  tq  thQ  coutts  of  law  fca?  reUrMs,  i* 
"Wors^  (hau  a  jplniij  tibial,  b. 


!*!«Pi*>«l4M*MfM 


T^IIE  INDIANS  IN  1790. 


110 


to  reUrw?, -> 


Weaning  of  this  law,  I  refer  you  to  the  explanations 
given  thereof  by  Col.  Pickering  at  Tioga,  which, 
with  the  laws,  are  herewith  delivered  to  you. 

You  have  said  in  your  speech,  that  the  game  is 
going  away  from  among  you,  and  thaf  you  thought 
it  the  design  of  the  Great  Spirit  that  you  till 
ground  ;  bnt  before  you  speak  upon  this  subject  you 
want  to  know,  whether  the  United  States  meant  to 
leave  you  any  land  to  till. 

You  now  know  that  all  the  lands  secured  to  you 
by  the  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix,  excepting  such  parts 
as  you  may  once  have  fairly  sold,  are  yours,  and 
that  only  your  own  acts  can  convey  them  away. 
Speak  therefore  your  wishes  on  the  subject  of  tilling 
the  ground  :  the  United  States  will  be  happy  to  afford 
you  every  assistance  in  the  only  business  which  will 
add  to  your  numbers  and  happiness. 

The  murders  which  have  been  committed  upon 
some  of  your  people  by  the  bad  white  men,  I  sin- 
cerely lament  and  reprobate,  and  I  earnestly  hope 
that  the  real  murderers  will  iv.t  secured  and  punished 
as  they  deserve*.  This  business  has  been  sufficient- 
ly explained  to  you  here  by  the  governor  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  by  Col.  Pickerinj^,  in  behalf  of  the  United 
States,  at  Tioga. 

The  Senecas  may  be  assured,  that  the  rewards 
offered  for  apprehending  the  murderers,  will  be  con- 
tinued until  they  are  secured  for  trial,  and  that  when 
they  shall  be  apprehended,  they  will  be  tried  and 
punished,  as  if  they  had  killed  white  men. 

Having  answered  the  most  material  parts  of  your 
speech,  I  shall  inform  you  that  some  bad  Indians, 
and  the  ouu-ast  of  several  tribes,  who  reside  at  the 
Miami  village,  have  long  continued  their  murders 
and  depredations  upon  the  frontiers  lying  along  the 
Qhio.  That  they  have  not  only  refused  to  listen  to 
my  voice,  inviting  them  to  peace,  but  that,   upon^ 

''>  Xo  attempt  was  erer  made  to  punhu  tUtoUt     b  y 


1 


W 


f 


Kf 


M 


no 


heuonstrances  or 


tt 


deceiving  it,  they  renewed  their  incursions  and  mur- 
ders with  greater  violence  than  ever.  I  have  there- 
fore been  obliged  to  strike  those  bad  people,  in  order 
to  make  them  sensible  of  their  madness.  I  sincerely 
hope  they  will  hearken  to  reason,  and  not  require  to 
be  farther  chastised.  The  United  States  desire  to  be 
friends  of  the  Indians  upon  terms  of  justice  and  hu- 
manity ;  but  they  will  not  suffer  the  depredations  of 
the  bad  Indians  to  go  unpunished. 

My  desire  is,  that  you  would  caution  all  the  Se- 
necas,  and  Six  Nations,  to  prevent  their  rash  young 
men  from  je'ning  the  Miami  Indians;  for  the  United 
Slates  cannot  distinguish  .the  tribes  to  which  bad  In- 
dians belong,  and  every  tribe  must  take  care  of  their 
own  people. 

The  merits  of  the  Corn  Plant,  and  his  friendship 
for  the  United  States,  are  well  known  to  me,  and 
shall  not  be  forgotten  ;  and  as  a  mark  of  the  esteem 
of  the  United  States,  I  have  directed  the  secretary  of 
war  tc  make  him  a  present  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars,  either  in  money  or  goods,  as  the  Com 
Plant  shall  like  best,  and  be  may  depend  on  the  fu- 
ture care  and  kindness  of  the  United  States.  And  1 
have  also  directed  the  secretary  of  war  to  make 
suitable  presents  to  the  other  chiefs  present  in  Phila- 
delphia, and  also  that  some  farther  tokens  of  friend- 
ship be  forwarded  to  the  other  chiefs  now  in  their 
nation. 

Remember  my  words,  Senecas  :  continue  to  be 
Strong  in  your  friendship  for  the  United  States,  as 
the  only  rational  ground  of  your  future  happiness, 
and  you  maj'  rely  upon  their  kindness  and  protection. 

An  agent  shall  soon  be  appointed  to  reside  iti 
some  place  convenient  to  the  Senecas  and  Six-Na- 
tions ;  he  will  represent  the  United  States.  Apply- 
to  him  on  all  occasions. 

If  any  man  brings  you  evil  reports  of  the  inten 
tions  of  the  United  States,  mark  that  man  as  your 
enemy,  fpr  h^  will  mean  to  deceive  von,  and  lead 


J  •- 


tmmmti 


II '  III  iiiKIt 


THE    INDIANS    !N    1790. 


121 


11 


you  into  trouble.     The  United  States,  will  be  true 
and  faithful  to  their  engagements. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  of  the  United 
States,  at  Philadelphia,  tliis  twenty-ninth 
day  of  December,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
1790,  and  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  the  Sove- 
reignty and  Independence  of  the  United 
Slates. 

G.  Washington. 
By  the  President, 

T.  Jefferson. 

Enrolled  in  the  lloUs-OfHce,  for  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  in  Commission  Book  No.  1,  page 
255,  &c. 

Matt.  Iiivin. 


To  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
The  Speech  of  Corn  Plants  Half  Town,  and  Big 
Tree,  Chiefs  of  the  Seneca  JVation. 

Father^ — ^Your  speech  written  on  the  great  paper, 
is  to  us  like  the  first  light  of  the  morning  to  a  sick 
man,  whose  pulse  beats  strongly  in  his  temples,  and 
prevents  him  froni  sleeping ;  he  sees  it  and  rejoices, 
but  is  not  cured.  You  say  you  have  spoken  plainly 
on  the  great  point ;  that  you  will  protect  us  in  our 
lands,  secured  to  us  at  Fort  Stanwix  ;  and  that  wo 
have  the  right  to  sell,  or  refuse  to  sell  it.  This  is 
ver}'  good. 

But  our  nation  complain  that  you  compelled  us,  at 
that  treaty  to  give  up  too  much  of  our  lands.  Wc 
confess,  that  our  nation  was  bound  by  what  was 
done  there,  and  acknowledge  your  power.  We  have 
now  appealed  to  yourselves  against  that  treaty,  as 
juade  while  you  were  too  angry  at  us^  and  therefore 


\22 


REMONSTRANCES   OF 


i  - 


Unreasonable  and  unjust.     To  this  you  have  givwJ 
us  no  answer. 

Father^ — That  treaty  was  not  with  a  single  state, 
it  was  with  the  Thirteen  States  ;  we  should  never 
have  given  all  that  laud  to  one  state.  We  know 
that  it  was  before  you  had  the  great  authority ;  and 
Us  you  have  more  wisdom  than  the  commissioners, 
who  forced  us  into  that  treaty,  we  expect  you  have 
tnore  regard  to  justice,  and  will  now  at  our  request 
reconsider  the  treaty,  and  restore  to  us  part  of  that 
land. 

Father, — The  land  which  lies  between  the  line  run~ 
ning  south  from  the  Lake  Erie,  to  the  boundary  of 
Pennsylvania,  as  mentioned  in  the  treaty  at  Fort 
Stanwix  ;  and  the  eastern  boundary  of  that  land 
which  yo»i  soid,  and  the  Seaecas  confirmed  to  Penn- 
sylvania, is  the  land  on  which  Half  Town  and  all  his 
people  live,  with  other  chiefs,  who  always  have  been, 
and  still  are  dissatisfied  with  the  treaty  at  Fort 
Stanwix.  They  grew  out  of  this  land,  and  their 
fathers'  fathers  grew  out  of  it,  and  they  cannot  be 
persuaded  to  part  with  it ;  we  therefore  entreat  you 
to  restore  to  us  this  little  piece. 

Father, — Look  at  the  land  ive  gave  to  you  at  the 
treaty f  and  thtn  cast  your  eyes  upon  ivhat  we  now  ask 
you  to  restore  to  us  ;  and  you  will  see  that  what  we 
ask  is  a  very  little  piece.  By  giving  it  back  again 
you  will  satisfy  the  whole  of  our  nation.  Tl^e  chiefs 
who  signed  that  treaty  will  be  in  safety  ;  and  peace 
between  your  children  and  our  children  will  continue 
so  long  as  your  lands  continue  to  join  ours.  Every 
man  of  our  nat'on  will  turn  his  eyes  away  from  all 
the  other  lands,  which  we  then  gave  up  to  you,  and 
forget  that  our  fathers  even  said  tUat  they  belonged  to 
them. 

Father, — We  see  that  you  ought  to  have  the  path 
at  the  carrying  place  from  Lake  Erie  to  Niagara,  as 
it  was  marked  down  at  Fort  Stanwix ;  and  we  are 
\vining  it  should  remain  to  be  yours,    And  if  you 


:it' 


/  » 


\\ 


THE    INDIANS    IN    1790. 


123 


desire  to  reserve  a  passage,  through  the  Counewaugo, 
and  through  the  Chataujxhque  Lake,  and  land  for  a 
path  from  that  Lake  to  Lake  Erie,  take  it  where  you 
like  best.  Our  nation  will  rejoice  to  see  it  an  open 
path  for  you  and  your  children,  while  the  land  and 
water  remain  ;  but  let  us  pass  along  the  same  way, 
and  continue  to  take  the  fish  in  these  waters  in  com- 
mon with  you. 

Father^ — ^You  say  you  will  appoint  an  agent  to 
take  care  of  us.  Let  him  come  and  take  care  of  our 
trade  :  but  we  desire  he  may  not  have  aiiy  thing  to 
do  wiih  Our  lands;  for  the  atjjents  which  ha\e  come 
among  us,  and  pretended  to  take  care  of  us,  have 
always  deceived  us  whenever  we  sold  lands  ;  both 
when  the  king  and  when  the  separate  slates  have 
bargained  with  us.  They  have  by  this  means  occa- 
sioned many  wars,  and  we  are  unwilling  to  trust 
them  again. 

Father^ — When  we  return  home,  we  wiil  call  a 
great  council,  and  consider  well  how  land  may  be 
hereafter  sold  bv  our  nation  :  and  when  we  have 
agreed  upon  it,  we  will  send  you  notice  thereof;  but 
we  desire  you  will  not  depend  on  your  agent  for  in- 
formation concerning  land. 

Father^ — We  will  not  hear  lies  concerning  you  ; 
and  we  desire  that  you  will  not  hear  lies  concerning 
us ;  and  then  we  shall  certainly  live  in  peace  with 
you. 

Father^ — There  are  men  who  go  from  town  to 
town,  and  beget  children,  and  leave  them  to  perish, 
or  to  grow  up  without  instruction,  unless  better  men 
take  care  of  them  Our  nation  has  long  looked 
round  for  a  father,  but  they  found  none  that  would 
own  them  for  their  children,  until  you  now  tell  us  that 
your  courts  are  open  to  us,  as  to  your  own  people. 
The  joy  we  feel  on  this  great  news  so  mixes  with  the 
sorrows  that  are  past,  that  we  cannot  express  our 
gladness,  nor  conceal  the  remembrance  of  our  afllic- 
tion  :  we  will  speak  of  it  another  time. 


■US' 


\  1 


I- 


Til 


iiHt*f^- 


-.-rsr-^i 


124 


IIEMONSTIIANCES    OF 


I..  I' 


*'   <f 


m 


Father^ — We  are  ashamed  tliat  we  have  listened 

to  L 's  lies,  or  been   inlluenced  with  threats  of 

war  from  P ,  and  would  hide  that  whole  trans- 
action from  the  world,  and  from  ourselves,  by  quietly 
receiving  from   P — ^  what  he  promised  to  give  us 

for  the  lands  they  cheated    us  of.     But  as  P 

will  not  pay  us  even  according  to  that  fraudulent 
bargain,  we  must  lay  the  whole  proceedings  before 
your  courts.  When  the  evidence  which  we  can  pro- 
duce is  heard,  we  think  it  will  appear  that  the  whole 
bargain  was  founded  in  lies,  whicii  he  placed  one 
upon  another  ;  that  the  goods  which  he  charged  to 
us   as  part   payment,  were  plundered  from   us;  and 

that  if  P was  not  directly  concerned  in  the  theft, 

he  knew  of  it  at  the  lime,  and  concealed  it  from  us  ; 
and  that  the  persons  we  confided  in  were  bribed  by 
him  to  deceive  us  m  the  bargain  ;  and  if  these  facts 
appear,  that  your  courts  will  not  say  that  such  bar- 
gain? are  just,  but  set  the  whole  aside. 

Father, — We  expect  that  our   evidence  might  bo 

called  for,  as  P was   here   and   knew  what  we 

had  said  concerning  him  ;  and  as  Ebonezer  Allen 
knew  something  of  the  matter,  we  desired  him  to 
continue  here.  iVicholson,  the  interpreter,  is  very 
sick,  and  we  desire  that  Allen  ma^'  remain  a  few  days 
longer,  as  lie  speaks  our  langimgc. 

Father, — The  blood  that  was  spilt  near  Pine 
Creek  is  covered,  and  we  shall  never  look  where  it 
lies.  We  know  Pennsylvania  will  satisfy  us  for  that 
which  we  speak  of  to  them,  b'-fore  w<'  speak  to  you. 
The  chain  of  friendship  will  now,  we  hope,  be  made 
strong,  as  you  desire  it  to  be.  We  will  hold  it  fast, 
and  our  end  of  it  shall  never  rust  in  our  hands. 

Father, — We  told  you  what  advice  we  gave  to  the 
people  you  are  now  at  war  with  ;  and  we  now  tell 
you  they  have  promised  to  come  again  next  spring 
to  our  towns.  We  shall  not  wait  for  their  coming, 
but  set  out  very  early  in  the  season,  and  show  them 
what  you    have  done  for  us,  which   must  convince 


THE  INDIANS  IN  1790. 


125 


lliem  that  you  will  do  for  therw*(BVery  thing  that  they 
ought  to  psk.  We  think  *'^ey  will  hear  ul,  and  fol- 
low our  advice. 

Father f — ^You  gave  us  leave  to  speak  our  minds 
concerning  tilling  of  the  ground.  We  ask  you  to 
teach  us  to  plough  and  grind  corn,  and  supply  us 
with  broad-axes,  saws,  augecS,  and  othi^r  tools,  to 
assist  us  in  building  saw-mills,  so  that  we  may  make 
our  Louses  more  comfortable  and  durable ;  that  you 
will  send  smiths  among  us  ;  and  above  all  that  you 
will  teach  our  children  to  read  and  write,  and  our 
women  to  spin  and  weave.  The  manner  of  doing 
these  things  for  us,  we  leave  to  you  who  understand 
them ;  but  we  assure  you  we  will  follow  your  advice 
as  far  as  we  are  able. 


The  President  of  the  United  StateSf  his  second  Reply 
to  the  Speech  of  Corn  Plants  Half  Town,  and  Big 
^j  TreCf  Chiefs  of  the  Seneca  JYation  of  Indians, 

Brothers, — I  have  tnaturely  considered  your  se- 
cond written  speech.  You  say  your  nation  complain, 
that  at  the  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix,  you  were  com- 
pelled to  give  up  too  much  of  your  lands  ;  that  you 
confess  your  nation  is  bound  b^  what  was  then  done, 
and  acknowledging  the  power  of  the  United  States ; 
that  you  have  now  appealed  to  ourselves  against  that 
treaty,  as  made  while  we  were  angry  against  you ; 
and  that  the  said  treaty  w-as  therefore  unreasonable 
and  unjust.  T?ut  while  you  complain  of  the  treaty 
of  Fort  Stauwiir,  in  1784^  you  seem  entirely  to  for- 
get, that  you  yourselves,  Corn  Plant,  Half  Town, 
and  Big  Tree,  with  others  of  your  nation,  confirmed 
by  the  treaty  at  Fort  Harmar  upon,  the  Muskingum, 
so  late  as  the  9th  of  January,  H89,  the  boundaries 
marked  at  the  trcjaty  at  Fort  Stanwix,  aad  that  in 


■-^>^^^  ■'■y^-^f.-.  J^r 


126 


HEMONSTRANCES  Of 


11^ 


consequence  thereof,  you  then  received  goods  to  a 
considerable  amount. 

Although  it  is  my  sincere  desire,  in  looking  for-^ 
ward,  to  endeavour  to  promote  your  happiness  by 
all  just  and  humane  arrangements,  yet  I  cannot  dis- 
annul treaties  formed  by  the  United  States  before 
ray  administration;  especially  as  the  boundaries 
mentioned  therein  have  been  twice  confirmed  by 
yourselves.  The  lines  fixed  at  Fort  Stanwix  and 
Fort  Harmar  must  therefore  remain  established. 
But  .Half  Town  and  others,  who  reside  upon  the 
lands  you  desire  may  be  relinquished,  have  not  been 
disturbed  in  their  possession  ;  and  I  should  hope, 
while  he  and  they  continue  to  demean  themselves 
peaceably,  and  to  manifest  their  friendly  dispositions 
to  the  people  of  the  United  States,  that  they  will  be 
sufiered  to  remain  where  they  are.  And  the  agent 
who  will  be  appointed  by  the  United  Stat«»s  will  be 
your  friend  and  protector :  he  will  not  be  sufiei:ed  to 
defraud  you  or  to  assist  in  defrauding  you  of  your 
lands,  or  of  any  other  thing  ;  and  all  his  proceedings 
must  be  reported  in  writing,  so  as  to  be  submitted  to 
the  President  of  the  United  States.    - 

You  mention  your  design  of  going  to  the  Miami 
Indians,  to  endeavour  to  persuade  them  to  peace. 
By  this  humane  measure  you  will  render  those  mis- 
taken people  a  great  service,  and  probably  prevent 
their  being  swept  fronf  the  face  of  the  earth.  The 
United  States  require  only  that  those  people  should 
demean  themselves  peaceably  j  biit  they  may  be  as- 
sured that  the  United  States  are  able,  and  will  most 
certainly  punish  them  severely  for  all  their  robberies 
and  murders. 

You  may,  when  you  return  from  this  city  to  your 
own  country,  mention  to  your  nation,  my  desire  to 
promote  their  prosperity,  by  teaching  them  the  use 
»f  domestic  animals,  and  the  manner  that  the  white 
people  plough  and  raise  so  much  corn  ;  and  if,  upon 
cDnsideration,  it  would  be  agreeable  to  the  nation  at 


m 


*! — i    III   jprwwwwpwi 


— liumjun.ii , '  II 


THE  INDIANS  IN  1790. 


iarge  to  learn  those  valuable  arts,  I  shall  find  some 
means  of  teaching  them,  at  such  places  within  their 
country  as  shall  be  agreed  on. 
4r  I  have  nothing  more  to  add,  but  to  refer  you  to  my 
former  speech,  and  to  repeat  my  wishes  for  the  hap- 
piness of  the  Seneca  Nation, 

Given  under  my  hand,  and  the  seal  of  the 
United  States,  at  Philudelphia,  this  19th 
cfay  of  January,  1791. 

G.  Washington. 
Byj#ie  president, 

Thomas  Jefferson. 
Enrolled  in  Commission  Book,  No.  1,  page  259, 
SiC,  for  the  State  of  Pennsylvania. 

,  Matthew  Irvin. 


To  the  Great  Counsellor  of  the  Thirteen  Fires.  The 
Speech  of  Corn  Plant,  Half  Town,  and  Big  Tree, 
Seneca  Chiefs. 

Father f — No  Seneca  ever  goes  from  the  fire  of  his 
friend  until  he  has  said  to  him,  "I  am  going."  We 
therefore  tell  you  that  we  are  now  setting  out  for  bur 
own  country. 

Father, — We  thank  you  from  our  hearts  that  we 
ncv  know'ths^  there  is  a  country'that  we  may  call 
our  own,  and  on  which  we  may  lie  down  in  peace. 
We  see  that  there  will  be  peace  between  our  children 
and  your  children,  and  our  hearts  are  very  glad. 
We  will  persuade  the  Wyandots,  and  other  western 
nations  to  open  their  eyes,  and  look  towards  the  bed 
which  you  have  made  for  us,  and  to  ask  of  you  a  bed 
for  themselves  and  their  children  that  will  not  slide 
from  under  them.  We  thank  you  for  your  presents 
to  us,  and  rely  on  your  promise  to  instruct  us  in  rais- 
ing corn  as  the  white  people  do.  The  sooner  you  do 
thh  the  better  for  us ;  and  we  thank  you  for  the  care 


■  -1 


-«»5-n«t|(«H-«* 


m 


fe  l!i. 


128 


REMONSTRANCES  Or 


which  you  have  taken  to  preveut  bad  people  coming 
to  trade  among  us.  If  any  come  without  your 
license,  we  will  turn  them  back  ;  and  we  hope  our 
nation  will  determine  to  spill  all  the  ram  that  shall 
hereafter  be  brought  to  our  towns.  *  ' 

FaiheVf — We  are  glad  to  hear  that  you  are  deter- 
mined to  appoint  an  agent  that  will  do  us  justice,  in 
taking  care  that  bad  men  do  not  come  to  trade  among 
us ;  but  we  earnestly  entreat  you,  that  yOu  will  let  us 
have  an  interpreter,  in  whom  we  can  confide,  to  re* 
side  at  Pittsburgh.  To  that  place  our  peop||i^  and 
other  nations  will  long  resort:  there  wc  must  send 
what  news  we  hear  when  we  go  among  the  western 
nations,  which  we  are  determined  shall  be  next 
spring.  We  know  Joseph  Nicholson — he  speaks 
our  language  so  that  we  clearly  understand  what  you 
say  to  us,  and  depend  on  what  he  says.  If  we  were 
able  to  pay  him  for  his  services,  we  wool  ^  do  it ;  but 
when  we  give  him  land  for  pay,  it  has  not  been  con- 
firmed to  him,  and  he  will  not  serve  any  longer  un- 
less you  will  pay  him.  Let  him  stand  between  us 
and  you,  we  entreat  you. 

Father,- — ^You  have  not  asked  of  us  any  surety  for 
peace  ou  our  part ;  but  we  have  agreed  to  send  nine 
Seneca  boys  to  be  under  your  care  for  education  ; 
tell  us  at  what  time  you  will  receive  them,  and  they 
shall  be  sent  at  that  time.  This  will  assure  you 
that  we  are  indeed  at  peace  with  you,  and  deter- 
mined to  continue  so.  If  you  can  teach  them  to  be 
wise  and  good  men,  we  will  take  care  that  our  na-^ 
tion  shall  be  willing  to  be  instructed  by  them. 

Signed  in  the  presence  of 
«  Joseph  Nickolsou,  Interpreter* 

Thomas  Proctor, 
-  Timothy  Matlack. 

Philade1j?hiaf  February  7,  n9U 


;Ti..»»>ip;y»>'    ■■■'<i<*mW'>»»W  I  II    niH<n»t-«i— nt(8y«_<| 


THE    INDIANS    IN    1790. 


129 


The  subscriber,  the  Secretary  of  War,  has  sub- 
mitted your  speech  of  yesterday  to  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  who  has  commanded  him  to  as- 
sure you  of  his  good  wishes  for  your  happiness,  and 
that  you  may  have  a  pleasant  journey  to  your  own 
country. 

The  Governor  of  the  Western  Territory  will  ap- 
point 3'ou  an  interpreter,  whenever  one  shall  be  ne- 
cessary. The  President  of  the  United  States  does 
not  chose  to  interfere  on  this  point. 

The  President  of  the  United  States  thinks  it  will 
be  the  best  mode  of  teaching  you  how  to  raise  corn, 
by  sending  one  or  two  sober  men  to  reside  in  your 
nation,  with  proper  implements  of  husbandry.  It 
will  therefore  be  proper  that  you  should,  upon  con- 
sultation, appoint  a  proper  place  for  such  persons  to 
till  the  ground  :  they  are  not  to  claim  the  lands  on 
which  they  shall  plough. 

The  President  of  the  United  States  also  thinks  it 
will  be  the  best  mode  of  teaching  your  children  to 
read  and  write,  to  send  a  schoolmaster  among  you, 
and  not  for  you  to  send  your  children  among  us  ; 
he  will  therefore  look  out  for  a  proper  person  for 
t^iis  business. 

As  soon  as  you  shall  learn  any  thing  of  the  in- 
tentions of  the  Western  Indians,  you  will  inform  the 
Governor  ^of  the  Western  Territory  thereof,  or  the 
of|cer  commanding  at  Fort  Washington,  in  order  to 
be  communicated  to  the  President  of  the  United 
States. 

Given  at  the  War  Office  of  the  United  States^ 
the  8th  of  February,  1791.  , 

(Copy.)  Knox,  Secretary  of  Wajj. 


■1    m 


IV 


■f--  s. 


^    v» 


:ii 


»<i 


t 


WKmmm 


MMitpM»«i 


•>' 


IJO       TREATY    METWEEN    THE    UNITED    STATES, 

Jl  Treatybeiween  the  United  States  of  America  ^  and 
the  Tribes  of  Indians  called  the  Six  Nations. 

The  President  of  ths  United  States  having  deter- 
mined to  hold  a  conference  witli  thb  Six  Nations  of 
Indians,  for  the  purpose  of  removing  from  their 
minds  all  causes  of  complaint,  and  establishing  a 
firm  and  permanent  friendship  with  them ;  and 
Timothy  Pickering  being  appointed  sole  agent  for 
that  purpose ;  and  the  agent  having  met  and  con- 
ferred with  the  Sachems,  Chiefs,  and  Warriors  of  the 
Six  Nations,  in  a  general  Council :  Now,  in  order 
to  accomplish  the  good  design  of  tbjs  conference, 
the  parties  have  agreed  on  the  following  articles ; 
which,  when  ratified  by  the  President,  with  the  ad- 
vice and  consent  of  the  Senate  of  the  United  States, 
shall  be  binding  on  them  and  the  Six  Nations  : 

Article  I.  Peace  and  friendship  are  hereby 
lirmly  established,  and  shall  be  perpetual,  between, 
the  United  States  and  the  Six  Nations. 

Article  II.  The  United  States  acknowledge  the 
lands  reserved  to  the  Oneida,  Onondaga,  and  Cayuga 
Nations,  in  their  respective  treaties  with  the  state  of 
New  York,  and  called  their  reservations,  to  be  their 
property ;  and  the  United  States  will  never  claim 
:he  same,  nur  disturb  them,  or  either  of  the  Six  Na- 
tions, nor  their  Indian  friends  residiuiu,  .hereon  and 
united  with  them,  in  the  free  use  and  enjoyment 
thereof:  h\ki  the  said  reservations  shall  remain 
theirs,  until  they  choose  to  sell  the  same  to  the  peo- 
ple of  the  United  States  who  have  the  right  to  pur« 
chase.  - 

Article  HI.  The  land. of  the  Seneca  Nation  is 
bounded  as  follows:  Beginning  on  Lake  Ontario, 
at  the  north-west  corner  of  the  land  they  sold  to  Oli- 
ver Phelps,  tlie  line  runs  westerly  along  the  lake,  as 
far  as  O-yong-wong-yeh  Cree]t,  at  Johnson's  Land- 
ing place,  about  four  miles  eastward  from  the  Fort 
of  Niagara ;  then  southerly  up  tbatCreek  to  its  main 


P 


.Jir^,«*S»i*i:U    -■ 


■.«««^^»Mni»iii'»^i-'  ■xrv'Mv*  ■*itm^-^r'<imtmmttmmit0mmv^)Kw/m''"*^  ««»i»i  n^m- 


\ 


AND    THE  INDIANS  Or    THE    SIX   NATIONS.       131 

fork ;  then  Straight  to  the  main  fork  of  Stedman's 
Creek,  which  empties  into  the  river  Nragara  above 
Fort  Schlosser ;  and  then  onward,  from  that  fork, 
continuing  the  same  straight  course,  to  thai  river  ; 
(This  line,  from  the  mouth  of  O-yong-wong-veh 
Creek  to  the  river  Niagara  above  Fort  Schlosser, 
being  the  eastern  boundary  of  a  strip  of  land,  ex- 
tending from  the  same  line  to  Niagara  river,  which 
the  Seneca  Nation  ceded  to  the  King  of  Great 
Britain,  at  a  treaty  held  about  thirty  years  ago,  with 
Sir  William  Johnson  ;)  then  the  line  runs  along  the 
river  Niagara  to  Lake  Erie ;  then  along  Lake  Erie 
to  the  north-east  corner  of  a  triangular  piece  of  land 
which  the  United  States  conveyed  to  the  state  of 
Pennsylvania,  as  by  the  President's  patent,  dated 
the  third  day  of  March,  1792  ;  then  due  south  to  the 
northern  boundary  of  that  state ;  then  due  east  to 
the  south-west  corner  of  the  land  sold  by  the  Seneca 
Nation  to  Oliver  Phelps ;  and  then  north  and  north- 
erly, along  Phelphs'  line  to  the  place  of  beginning  on 
Lake  Ontario.  Now,  the  United  States  acknow- 
ledge all  the  land  within  the  afure-mentioned  boun- 
daries to  be  the  property  of  the  Seneca  Nation,  and 
the  United  States  will  never  claim  the  same,  nor 
disturb  the  Seneca  Nation,  nor  any  of  the  Six  Na- 
tions, or  of  their  Indian  friends  residing  thereon  and 
united  with  them,  in  the  free  use  and  enjoyment 
thereof;  but  it  shall  remain  theirs  until  they  choose 
to  sell  the  same  to  the  people  of  the  Utrited  States, 
who  have  the  right  to  purchase. 

Article  IV.  The  United  States  having  thus  de- 
scribed and  acknowledged  what  lands  belong  to  the^ 
Oneidas,  Onondagas,  Cayugas,  and  Senecus,  and 
engaged  never  to  claim  the  same,  nor  to  disturb 
them,  or  any  of  the  Six  Nations,  or  their  Indian 
friends  residing  thereon  and  united  with  them,  in 
the  free  use  and  enjoyment  thereof:  Now,  the  Six 
Nations  and  each  of  them  hereby  engage  that  they 
will  never  claim  any  other  Icmds  within  the  bounda.- 


f  ; 


ii   /"' 


I 


:x><> *■■»»;.'■■>  r-fwuf-roiwiinii  mt  inii„B.-A«'v«^,if«|ii'fci«;;mwi 


"IWWW^piiilillW II II,  III! 


«**»"--  -r-, 


'^■1 


t. 


132        TREATY   BETWEEN    THE  UNITED  STATES, 

ries  of  the  United  States ;  uor  ever  disturb  the  peo- 
ple of  the  linked  States  in  th«;^  free  use  and  enjoy- 
ment thereof. 

Article  V.  The  Seneca  Nation,  all  others  of  the 
Six  Nations  concurring,  cede  to  the  United  States  the 
right  of  making  a  wagon  road  from  Fort  Schlosser 
to  Lake  Erie,  as  far  south  as  Buffalo  Creek ;  and 
the  people  of  the  United  States  shall  have  the  free 
and  undisturbed  use  of  this  road  for  the  purposes  of 
travelling  and  transportation.  And  the  Six  Nations 
and  each  of  them  will  forever  allow  to  the  people  of 
the  United  States  a  free  passage  through  their  lands, 
and  the  free  use  of  the  harbours  and  rivers  adjoin- 
ing and  within  their  respective  tracts  of  land,  for  the 
passing  and  securing  of  vessels  and  boats,  and  liber- 
ty to  land  their  cargoes  where  necessary  for  theix* 
safety. 

Article  VI.  In  consideration  of  the  peace  and 
fricndsdip  hereby  established,  and  of  the  engage- 
ments entered  into  by  the  Six  Nations  ;  and  because 
the  United  States  desire,  with  humanity  and  kind- 
ness, to  contribute  to  their  comfortable  support ; 
and  to  render  the  peace  and  friendship  hereby  estar 
b)ished  strong  and  perpetual ;  the  United  States  now 
deliver  to  the  Six  Nations  and  the  Indians  of  the 
other  nations  residing  among,  and  united  with  them, 
a  quantity  of  goods  of  the  value  often  thousand  dol- 
lars. And  for  the  same  considerations,  and  with  a 
view  to  promote  the  future  welfare  of  the  Six  Natipns 
and  of  their  Indian  friends  aforesaid,  the  United 
States  will  &dd  the  sum  of  three  thousand  dollars  to 
the  one  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  heretofore  al- 
lowed them  by  an  article  ratified  by  |he  President  on 
the  twenty-third  clay  of  April,  1792;  making  in  the 
whole  four  thousand  five  hundred  dollars ;  which 
shall  be  expended  yearly  for  ever,  in  purchasing 
clothing,  domestic  animals,  implements  of  husband- 
ry, and  other  utensils  suited  to  their  circumstances, 
and  in  compensating  useftil  artificers  who  shall  reside: 


i^^-StB^WBta-r,"*^- 


AND  THE  INDIAZ^S  OF  THE  SIX  NATIONS.       133 


with  or  near  tFienii  and  be  employed  for  their  benefit. 
The  immediate  application  of  the  whole  annual  al- 
lowance now  stipulated,  to  bef  made  by  the  Superin- 
tendent appointed  by  the  President  for  the  affairs  of 
the  Six  Nations  and  their  Indian  friends  aforesaid. 

Article  VII.  Lest  the  firm  peace  and  friendship 
now  established  should  be  interrupted  by  the  mis- 
conduct of  individuals,  the  United  States  and  Six 
Nations  agree,  thjt  for  injuries  done  by  individuals, 
on  either  side,  no  private  revenge  or  retaliation  shall 
take  place ;  but  instead  thereof,  complaint  shall  be 
made  by  the  party  injured  to  the  oiHfer:  by  the  Six 
Nations  or  any  of  them  to  the  President  of  the  Uni- 
ted States,  or  the  Superintendent  by  him  appointed  : 
and  by  the  Superintendent,  or  other  person  appoint- 
ed by  the  President,  to  the  principal  chiefs  of  the  Six 
Nations,  or  of  the  nation  to  which  the  offender  be- 
longs :  and  such  prudent  measures  shall  then  be 
pursued  as  shall  be  necessary  to  prese^ve  our 
{icvice  and  friendshio  unbroken;  until  the  legis- 
lature (or  great  council)  of  the  United  States  shall 
make  Other  equitable  provision  for  the  purpose. 

Note.  It  is  clearly  understood  by  the  parties  to 
this  treaty,  that  the  annuity  stipulated  in  the  sixth 
article  is  to  be  applied  to  the  benefit  of  such  of  the 
Six  Nations  and  of  their  Indian  friends  united  with 
them  as  aforesaid,  as  do  or  shall  reside  within  the 
boundaries  of  the  United  States :  For  the  United 
States  do  not  interfere  with  nations,  tribes,  or  faroi-^ 
lies  of  Indians  elsewhere  resident. 

In  witness  whereof,  the  said  Timothy  Pickering, 
and- the  Sachems,  and  Wai:-chiefs  of  the  said 
Six  Nations,  have  hereto  set  their  hands  and 
seals. — Done  at  Konon-daigua,  in  the  state 
of  New-York,  the  eleventh  day  of  Novem- 


V 


f« 


i'l'l 


n 


I 


■'.-#?- s 


■i 


IM 


134         •  TREATY   BETWEEN,  &C.  ''^ 

t 

ber,  in  the  year  one  thousand  seven  hnndred 
and  ninety-four. 
(li.  8.)  Timothy  Pickering. 

Signed  by  Fifty-J^ine  Chiefs  of  the  SixJVations. 

I  grant  there  is  some  fairness,  and  an  appearance 
of  more,  in  the  replies  of  the  American  government ; 
but  it  cannot  be  denied  that  in  one  or  tvro  instances 
the  complaints  of  the  Indians  are  evaded,  and  in 
others  wholly  overlooked.  The  consideration,  such 
as  it  is,  did  not  come  spontaneously,  but  was  brought 
about  by  a  strong  appeal  which  it  was  not  possible 
to  neglect.  The  redress  altogether  is  inadequate. 
The  United  States,  perhaps,  went  as  far  as  their  ea- 
j)edienc£s  would  allow ;  but  justice  is  another  thing. 


il 


135 


CHAPTER  XI. 

SALE  OF  LANDS  BY  THE  INDIANS. 

*  ■' 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  land  purchased 
by  the  Uniced  States  from  the  Indians  up  to  the  year 
1820: 

Total  quantity,  191, 77S^36  acres. 

Ini|uiyment  for  whicb,  sums  to  the  amount  of 
2,54^^16  dollars,  have  been  appropriated. 

Of  these  lands  18,601,930  acres^  have  been  vended 
by  the  States's  Government,  and  there  remain  in  their 
possession  173,176,606  acres. 

Tho  sum  of  22,2^9,180  dollars  has  actually  been 
paid  into  the  treasury  of  the  United  States,  in  part 
of  the  purchases  of  the  above  land ;  leaving  still  due, 
(for  which  the  land  is  a  security)  22,000,657  dollars. 

The  account,  then,  will  stand  thus  : 


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SALE  OF    LANDS  BY  THE    INDIANS 


13: 


How  irresistibly,  to  say  nothing  of  natural  rights, 
do  these  transactions  establish  the  claim  of  the  In- 
dians to  protection  and  kindness  from  the  United 
States ! 

The  purchases  of  land  from  the  Indians  by  the 
British  Government  do  not  exceed  ten  millions  of 
acres;  for  7,491,190  of  which    the  Indians  receive 

foods  annually  amounMng  in  value  to  £4155  Halifax 
iirrency,  or  1 6,620  dollars.  The  British  Govern- 
ment has  not  sold  its  lands,  but,  with  the  exception ^of 
a  few  hundred  acres  lately  disposed  of  near  York  in 
Upper  Canada,  has  made  gratuitous  grants  of  them. 
Besides  which,  about  20,000  Indians  annually  re- 
ceive from  the  British  governmen  blankets,  and 
presents  of  various  kinds — so  that  while  the  Ameri- 
cans have  gained  so  largely  by  their  intercourse  with 
the  natives  within  their  territories,  the  British  are  an- 
nually losers.  But  both  are  awfully  deficient  in  using 
means  to  improve  the  condition  of  the  Indians. 


't? 


■ 


HI 


Voi^'.  I. 


12 


.^--^SliU.:^ 


''Vv 


138 


~tf.' 


CHAPTER  XII. 

NAMES  OF  THE  DIFFERENT  INDIAN  NATIONS  HITHERTO 
DISCOVERED  IN  NORTH  AMERICA,  IHE  SITUATION  Oli, 
THEIR    COUNTRIES,    WITH    THE   NUMBER  OF   THEIW 
FIGHTING  MEN. 

• 

The  Choctaws  or  Flatheads,  on  the  Molect  4,600 

The  Natches 150 

The  Chukesvvs,  Mississippi        -         -         -         750 
The  Cherokees,  South  Carolina         -         -     fi,500 
The  Chatabas,  between  North  andS.  Carolina     150 
The  Peantias,  a  wandering  tribe,  both  sides  of 

the  Mississippi  .  -         -         -         fOO 

The  Kasgresquios  or  Illinois     -         -         -         600 
The  Piaiiiiishaws      ^       -         -         ,         .         250 
The  Qurachtenons    >  on  the  Wabash  -         400 

The  Kikapous  S       -         -         -         -         300 

The  Shawanese  or  Sciota  _         _         -         500 

The  Delawares,  on  the  west  of  Ohio  -         300 

The  Miamis  -         _         .         -         _         350 

The  Upper  Creeks  back  of  Georgia  ^ 

The  Middle  Creeks,  North  Florida  >  -      4,000 

The  Lower  Creeks,  East  Florida    ) 

The  Caocutas,  on  the  East  of  the  River  Aliba- 

mous       ------         700 

The  Alibamous,  West  of  the  Alibamous      -         COO 
The  Arkansas 2,000 

I  Vest  Side. 

The  Anjoues,  North  of  the  Missouri            -  1 ,000 

The  Padilonians,  West  of  the  Mississippi  600 

The  White  Panis,  South  of  the  Mississippi  2,000 

The  Freckled  or  Prickled  Panis         -         -  2,000 


Carried  forward     24,350 


.y»r--^    A-^  *--■*.- ,.„*-^i 


^1* 


IITHER'rO 
JATION  O^ 
)F    THEIW 


- 

700 

- 

COO 

- 

2,000 

1,000 

• 

I 

500 

pi 

2,000 

2,000 

xrd 

24,350 

NAMES  OF  THE  DIFFERENT   INDIAN  NATIONS.    139 


Brought  forward 
South  of  the  Mississippi 


24,350 
1,600 
600 
1,000 
3,000 
],800 
2,500 


The  Caiisas 

The  Osages 

The  Grand  Eaux 

The  Missouri,  upon  the  River  Missouri 

The  Sioux  of  the  Woods,  towards  the  heads 

The  Sioux  of  the  Meadows  of  the  Missouri 

The  Blanks   Barbus,  or  White  Indians  with 

Beards  '  -  -  -  -  -  1,500 
The  Assiniboils,  farther  North  near  the  Lakes  1,500 
The  Christaneaux  -         -         -         -      3,000 

The  Orusconsins,   on  the  river  of  the  same 

name,  falling  into  the  Mississippi 
The  Mascordins      ^         -         -         -         . 
The  Sakis  >  South  of  Pecan's  Bay 

The  Mechuouakis  )         " 


Folle  Avoini,  or  Wild  Oat  Indians 


500 
500 
400 
250 
S50 
700 
350 


The  Peans  -         -         -         -         - 

The  Potawatamls,  near  Detroit 
The  Missisagues,  or  River  Indians,  being  wan- 
dering tribes  on  lakes  Huron  and  Superior  2,000 


The  Ottapoas,  Lake  Superior 

The  Chepewas         -         -         -         - 

The  Weandots,  Lake  Erie 

The  Six  Nations  or  Iroquois 

The  Round-headed  Indian^  near  Ottawas 

The  Algonkins,  near  the  above 

The  Nepessins,  near  ditto  - 

The  Chatas,  St.  Lawrence 

TheAmelestes,  or  the  Bark 

The  Mukmacks,  Bark  of  Nova  Scotia 

The  Abenaques,  ditto 


-  I 


900 

5,000 

300 

1,500 

2,500 

300 

400 

130 

550 

700 

350 


The  Conaway  Crunas,  near  the  Falls  of  St.  Lewis  200 

Total     -     58,730  Warriors. 


il 


I 


HO    NAMES  OF  THE  DIFFERENT  INDIAN  NATIONS. 

58,730  warriors,  one-third  old  men,  makes  78,30G- 
Multiplying  by  six  gives  469,866  souls,  merv^om^t^ 
and  children.*. 

The  foregoing  list  I  received  from  old  Mr.  Hecke- 
tvelder,  the  Missionary,  to  whom  I  paid  a  visit  a  short 
time  ago  at  Bethlehem,  where  he  resides.  His  active 
and  constant  exertions,  in  the  cause  of  benevolence, 
seem  to  have  been  rewarded  with  health  and  long 
life.  He  is  now  in  his  eighty-eighth  year,  and  his 
faculties  are  vigorous  and  alert.  From  him  I  learnt 
that  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  man  to  come  at  any  thing 
demonstrative  as  to  the  numbers  of  the  Indians.  The 
list  now  before  the  reader,  refers  to  what  was  known 
between  the  years  1770  and  1780^  and  1  have  no 
reason  whatever  to  doubt  its  accuracy.  I  find  in  the 
records  of  1794,  that  a  treaty  was  arranged  at  Phi- 
ladelphia with  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
which  comprehended  upwards  of  fifty-seven  thousand 
Indian  warriors. 

This  statement,  therefore,  could  not  have  included 
the  inhabitants  of  the  immense  regions  from  the  Mis- 
sissippi to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  North  to  Hudson's 
Bay.  But  travellers  have  in  all  places  found  num- 
bers, so  that  having  reference  to  extent  of  territory, 
I  do  not  overrate  the  population  of  the  Indian  nations 
at  two  millions ;  taking  in  from  the  Isthmus  of  Pa- 
nama, and  consequently  including  Mexico.  It  should 
be  borne  in  mind  that  the  great  body  of  any  Indian 
tribe  never  appear  to  strangers  :  only  the  scouts  are 
seen.  . 

*  The  publishers  think  it  necessary  to  state  that  the  M.  S.  i^ 
the  above  Indian  names  was  in  an  almost  illegible  hand  ;  and  tho 
author  being  in  America,  they  had  no  means  of  correcting  it. 


,.y^x 


i>-"*S» 


~-^f-'- 


i 


141 


His  active 


CHAPTER  Xlll. 


INDIAN  ANECDOTES. 

JUSTJCE. 

The  Indians  have  a  strong  innate  sense  of  justice, 
which  will  lead  them  sometimes  to  acts  which  some 
men  will  call  heroic,  others  romantic,  and  not  a  (ew^ 
perhaps,  will  designate  by  the  epithet  barbarous  ;  a 
vague  indefinite  word,  which  if  it  means  any  thing, 
might,  perhaps,  be  best  explained  by  something  not 
like  ourselves.  However  that  may  be,  this  feeling 
certainly  exists  among  the  Indians,  and  as  1  cannot 
describe  it  better  than  by  its  ejects,  I  shall  content 
myself  with  relating  on  this  subject  a  characteristic 
anecdote  which  happened  in  the  year  1793,  at  an  In- 
dian village  called  La  ChinCy  situated  nine  miles 
abov9  Montreal,  and  was  told  me  in  the  same  year 
by  Mr.  La  Ramee,  a  French  Canadian  inhabitant  of 
that  place,  whom  1  believe  to  be  a  person  of  strict 
veracity.  I  was  then  on  my  return  from  Detroit,  in 
company  with  General  Lincoln  and  several  oth^r 
gentlemen,  who  were  present  at  the  relation,  and  gave 
it  their  full  belief.  I  thought  it  then  so  interesting, 
that  I  inserted  it  in  my  journal,  from  which  I  noiv 
extract  it. 

There  were  in  the  said  village  of  La  Chine,  two 
remarkable  Indians,  the  one  for  his  stature,  being 
six  feet  four  inches  in  height,  and  the  other  for  his 
strength  and  activity.  Tliese  two  meeting  together 
ene  day  in  the  street  (a  third  heing  present,)  the  fi^r^- 
mer  in  a  high  tone  made  use  of  some  insulting  lan- 
guage to  the  other,  which  he  could  not  well  put  up 
with :  he  called  him  a  coward,  ss^id  he  was  hjs  fjAkrlov 

12* 


\l\ 


■i  1 


% 


i^m 


142 


INDIAN  Anecdotes. 


ir 


II" 

If. 


f"''     ''J 


ill  every  respect,  and  so  provoked  his  anger,  that  un- 
able any  longer  to  contain  himscir,the  latter  instantly 
replied  :  ''  You  have  grossly  insulted  me  ;  but  1  will 
prevent  you  from  doing  the  like  again  !"  and  at  the 
same  moment  stabbed  him  through  th«  body  with  his 
knife,  so  that  he  dropped  down  dead  by  his  side. 
The  alarm  being  immediately  ^:pread  through  the 
village,  a  crowd  of  Indians  assembled,  and  the  mur- 
derer having  se'xted  himself  on  the  ground  by  the 
side  of  the  dead  body,  cooly  awaited  his  fate,  which 
he  fould  not  expect  to  be  any  other  than  immediate 
death,  particularly  as  the  cry  of  the  people  was 
<' Kill  him!  Kill  him!"  But  although  he  placed  his 
body  and  his  head  in  a  proper  posture  to  receive  the 
stroke  C/f  the  tomahawk,  no  one  attempted  to  lay 
hands  on  him  ;  but  after  removing  the  dead  body 
from  where  it  lay,  they  left  him  alone.  Not  meeting 
here  with  his  expected  fate,  he  rose  from  this  place 
for  a  more  public  part  of  the  village,  and  there  lay 
down  on  the  ground,  in  the  hope  of  being  the  sooner 
despatched  ;  but  the  spectators,  after  viewing  him,  all 
retired  again.  Sensible  that  his  life  was  justly  for- 
feited, and  anxious  to  be  relieved  from  a  state  6f  sus- 
pense, he  took  the  resolution  to  go  to  the  mother  of 
t|}e  deceased,  an  aged  widow,  whom  he  addressed  in 
these  words  :  *'  Woman,  I  have  killed  thy  son  ;  he 
had  insulted  me,  it  is  true  :  but  still  he  was  thine, 
and  his  life  was  valuable  to  ihee.  I,  therefore,  now 
surrender  myself  up  to  thy  will.  Direct  as  tho»i  wilt 
have  it,  and  relieve  me  speedily  from  misery."  To 
which  the  woman  answered  :  "  Thou  hast  indeed, 
killed  my  son,  who  was  dear  to  me,  and  the  only  sup^ 
perter  I  had  in  my  old  age.  One  life  is  already  lost, 
and  to  take  thine  on  that  account,  cannot  be  of  any 
service  to  me,  nor  better  my  situation.  Thou  hast, 
however,  a  son,  whom  if  thou  wilt  give  me  in  the  place 
of  my  son  whom  thou  hast  slain,  all  shall  be  wiped 
away."  The  murderer  then  replied :  "  Mother,  my 
son  is  yet  but  a  child,  ten  years  old,  and  can  ^e  of' 


# 


INDIAN    ANECDOTES. 


143 


•10  service  to  thee,  but  rather  a  trouble  and  charge ; 
but  here  am  I,  truly  capable  of  supporting  and  main* 
taining  ;liee:  if  thou  wilt  receive  me  as  thy  son,  no- 
thing shall  be  wanting  on  my  part  to  make  thee  com- 
fortable while  thou  livest."  The  woman,  approving 
of  the  proposal,  forthwith  adopted  him  as  her  son, 
and  took  the  whole  family  to  her  house. — 

Heckeweldek. 

Forbearance  of  Temper  in  Accidental 
Misfortunes. 

They  judge  with  calmness  on  all  occasions,  and 
decide  with  precision,  or  endeavour  to  do  so,  between 
an  accident  and  a  wilful  act; — the  ^rs^  (they say) 
they  are  all  liable  to  commit,  and  therefore  it  ought 
not  to  be  noticed,  or  punished  ; — the  second  being  a 
wilful  or  premeditated  act  committed  with  a  bad  de- 
sign, ought  on  the  contrary  to  receive  due  punish- 
ment. 

To  illustrate  this  subject,  T  shall  relate  a  few  of 
the  cases  of  this  description  which  have  come  within 
my  knowledge.  One  morning  early,  an  Indian  came 
into  the  house  of  another  who  was  yet  a-bed,  asking 
for  the  loan  of  his  gun  for  a  morning  hunt,  his  own 
being  out  of  repair.  The  owner  readily  consented, 
and  said  :  "  As  my  gun  is  not  loaded,  you  will  have 
"  to  take  a  few  balls  out  of  your  pouch  !"  In  taking 
the  gun  down,  it,  however,  by  some  accident  went 
off,  and  lodged  the  contents  in  the  owner's  head, 
who  was  still  lying  on  the  bed,  and  now  expired. 
The  gun,  it  appeared,  was  loaded,  though  unknown 
to  him,  and  the  lock  left  in  such  condition  that  by  a 
touch  it  went  off.  A  cry  was  heard  from  al  sides- 
in  the  house  :  "  O  !  the  accident !"  for  such  it  was 
always  considered  to  have  been,  aod  was  treated  as 
such. 

A  hunter  went  out  to  kill  a  bear,  sonie  of  those 
aAlmals  having  b^en  se^ji  in  th^  n^ighj)pnrji9?d.    Ift 


i  ! 


I  ' 


1      ! 


/  , 


!/ 

Ill 


w 


i  I  i' 


!i(l 


^ 


/<\1 


-i*^- 


■.*mitt>^.u 


5 


144 


INDIAN  ANRCDOTES. 


ft 


I 


i! 


an  obscure  p<irt  of  a  wood,  he  saw  at  a  distance 
something  black  moving,  which  he  took  for  a  bear, 
the  whole  of  the  animal  not  being  visible  to  him  ;  he 
fired,  and  found  he  had  shot  a  black  horse.  Having 
discovered  the  mistake,  he  informed  the  owner  of 
what  had  happened,  expressing  at  the  same  time  his 
regret  that  he  was  not  possessed  of  a  single  horse, 
with  which  he  could  replace  the  one  he  had  shot. 
What !  replied  the  Indian  whose  horse  had  been 
killed,  do  you  think  1  would  accept  a  horse  from 
you,  though  you  had  one  to  give,  after  you  have 
satisfied  me  that  you  killed  mine  by  accident  9  No, 
indeed!  for  the  same  misfortune  might  also  happen 
to  me. 

An  aged  Indian  who  had  gone  out  to  shoot  a  tur- 
key, mistook  a  black  hog  in  the  bushes  for  one  of 
those  birds,  and  shot  him ;  finding  out  by  inquiry 
to  whom  the  hog  belonged,  he  informed  the  owner 
of  the  mistake  he  had  made,  offering  to  pay  for  the 
hog ;  which  the  other,  however,  not  only  would  not 
accept  of,  but  having  brought  the  meat  in,  gave  him 
a  leg  of  the  animal,  because  he  thought  that  the  un- 
fortunate man,  as  well  on  account  of  his  disappoint- 
ment, in  not  feasting  on  turkey  as  he  expected  sooi> 
to  do  when  he  shot  the  hog,  as  for  his  honesty  in  lU^ 
forming  of  what  he  had  done,  was  entitled  to  a  share 
of  what  he  had  killed. 

Two  Indians  with  a  large  canoe,  going  down  the 
Muskingum  river  to  a  certain  distance,  were  ac- 
costed by  others  going  by  land  to  the  same  place, 
who  requested  them  to  take  their  heavy  articles,  as 
kettles,  axes.  Hoes,  &£c.,  into  their  canoe,  which  they 
fVcely  did,  but  unfortunately  were  shipwrecked  at  the 
'  rocks  of  White  Eyes's  falls  (as  the  place  is  called,) 
where  the  whole  cargo  was  lost,  and  the  men  saved 
themselves  by  swimming  to  the  shore.  The  qufs- 
tiun  being  put  and  fully  discussed,  whether  those  men 
with  the  oanoe,  who  had  taken  charge  of  the  proper* 
ty  of  the  pth«rs,  m^  by  this  negl^Qt  Ipit  ths  whole, 


INDIAN  ANECDOTES. 


145 


1» 


were  not  liable  to  pay  for  the  loss  ?     It  was  decided 
in  the  negative,  on  the  following  grounds  : — 

1 .  That  the  canoe  men  had  taken  the  articles  on 
board,  with  the  pleasing  hope  that  they  thereby 
would  oblige  their  fellow  men,  and  did  not  expect  any 
recompense  for  that  service. 

2.  That  although  tiiey  might  have  avoided  the 
danger  and  the  ioss,  by  unloading  the  canoe  at  the 
head  of  the  fall,  and  carrying  the  cargo  by  land  be- 
low it,  (which  was  but  a  short  distance,)  as  was  cus- 
tomary, when  the  river  was  not  in  a  proper  state  to 
run  through,  yet  that,  had  those  who  travelled  by 
land  been  in  the  place  of  those  in  the  canoe,  they 
might,  like  them,  have  attempted  to  have  run  through, 
as  is  sometimes  done  with  success,  and  been  equally 
unfortunate. 

3.  That  the  canoe  men  having  had  all  their  own 
property  on  board,  which  was  all  lost  at  the  same  ^ 
time,  and  was  equally  valuable  to  them,  it  was  clear 
that  they  had  expected  to  ruri  safely  through,  and 
could  not  have  intentionally  or  d*  ignedly  brought 
on  themselves  and  others  the  mistbrtune  which  had 
happened,  and  therefore  the  circumstance  must  be 
ascribed  entirely  to  accident. — Heckewelder. 

Matrimony  and  Divorce. 

Had  the  following  anecdote  been  in  ei^istence  in 
the  time  of  our  great  poet  Milton,  would  he  not  have 
translated  it  into  his  high  style,  and  given  it  a  place 
in  his  treatise  on  the  **  Doctrine  and  Discipline  of 
Divorce .?"  One  can  easily  conceive  how  he  would 
have  chuckled  over  such  a  thing  in  the  midst  of  the 
bitterness  (caused  by  his^^wife's  misconduct,)  with 
which  he  sat  down  to  compose  his  "  Tetrachordon," 
and  other  tracts  on  the  subject.     B. 

An  aged  Indian,  who  for  many  years  had  spent 
much  of  his  time  among  the  white  people  both  in 
Pennsylvania  rnd  New-Jersey,  one  day  about  the 
year  1770  observed,  that  the  Indians  had  not  only 


I, 


I 


;  1. 


I 


'■>i 


(I 


HNM 


146 


INDIAN  ANECDOIES. 


a  much  easier  way  of  getting  a  wife  than  the  whites, 
but  were  also  more  certain  of  getting  a  good  one  ; 
"  For,"  (said  he  in  his  broken  English,)  "  White 
man  court,— court, — may  be  one  whole  year ! — may 
be  two  years  before  he  marry  ! — well ! — may  be  then 
got  very  good  wife — but  may  be  not ! — may  be  very 
cross ! — Well  now,  suppose  cross !  scold  so  soon  as 
get  awake  in  the  morning !  scold  all  day  !  scold  un- 
til sleep  ! — all  one ;  he  must  keep  him*  !  White 
people  have  law  forbidding  throwing  away  wife,  be 
he  ever  so  cross  !  mu3t  keep  him  always  !  Well !  how 
does  Indian  do  ? — Indian  when  he  see  industrious 
Squaw,  which  he  like,  he  go  to  Aim,  place  his  two 
forefingers  close  aside  each  other,  make  two  look  like 
one — look  Squaw  in  the  face — see  him  smile — which 
is  all  one  he  says,  Yes  1  so  he  take  him  home — no 
danger  he  be  c.  rss  !  no  !  no  !  Squaw  know  too  well 
»what  Indian  do  if  he  cross ! — throw  him  away  and 
take  another  !  Squaw  love  to  eat  meat !  no  husband  ! 
no  meat !  Squaw  do  every  thing  to  please  husijband  ! 
he  do  the  same   to  please  Squaw !  live  happy !" — 

Heckewei^per. 


Pride. 


I  H 


This  passion  of  the  Indians,  which  I  have  called 
pride^  buf*  which  might,  perhaps,  be  better  denomi- 
nated high-mindednesf,  is  generally  combined  with 
a  great  sense  of  honour,  and  not  seldom  produces  ac- 
tions of  the  moFt  heroic  kind.  I  am  now  going  to 
relate  an  instance  of  this  honourable  pride,  which  I 
have  also  witnessed.  An  Indian  of  the  Lenape  na- 
tion, who  was  considered  ns  a  very  dangerous  per- 
son, and  was  much  dreadt^d  on  that  account,  had 
publicly  declared  that  as  soon  as  another  Indian, 
who  was  then  gone  to  Sandusky,  should  return  from 
thence,  he  would  ccrtair^ly  kill  him.     This  danger- 

■^  The  pronouns  in  the  lodian  langunge  hare  no  fcmenine gender. 


# 


Jkmm  j-Mf'^M^M ' 


B»fe 


■^•tttssxmi--^- 


HfDtkV  ANECDOTES. 


147 


Q  the  whites, 
a  good  one ; 
,sh,)  "  White 
year ! — may 
-may  be  then 
-may  be  very 
J  so  soon  as 
ly  !  scold  un- 
im*  /     White 
away  wife,  be 
; !  Well !  how 
le  industrious 

place  his  two 
>  two  look  like 

smile — which 
lim  home — no 
know  too  well 
lim  away  and 
I  no  husband ! 
ease  husband ! 
ve  happy  I'*— 
:kewei^per. 


I  have  calleti 
better  denomi- 
combined  willi 
no  produces  ac- 
1  now  going  to 
pride,  which  I 
the  Lenape  na- 
jangerous  per- 
t  account,  had 
nother   Indian, 
nld  return  from 
-   This  danger- 

ofemenine  gender, 


ous  Indintr  called  in  one  day  at  my  house  on  the 
Muskingum  to  ask  me  for  some  tobacco.     While 
this  unwelcome  guest  was  smoking  his  pipe  by  my 
fire,  behold  !  the  other  Indian  whom  he  had  threat- 
ened to  kill,  and  who  at  that  moment  had  just  arri- 
ved, also  entered  the  house.     I  was  much  frightened; 
as  I  feared  the  bad  Indian  would  take  that  cpportu- 
nity  to  carry  his  threat  into  execution,  and  that  my 
house  would  be  made  the  scene  of  a  horrid  murder. 
I  walked  to  the  door,  in  order  not  to  witness  a  crime 
that  I  could  not  prevent,  when  to  my  great  astonish- 
ment I  heard  the  Indian  whom  I  thought  in  danger, 
address   the  other  in   these  words  :     "  Uncle,  you 
have  threatened  to  kill  me— you  have  declared  that 
you  would  do  it  the  first  time  we  should  meet.     Now 
I  am    here,  and  we  ar^s  together.     Am  I  to  take  it 
for  granted  that  you  are  in  earnest,  and  tiiat  you  are 
really  determined  to  take  my  life  as  you  have  de- 
!ared  ?     Am  I  now  to  consider  you   as  my  avowed 
enemy,  and  in  order  to  secure  my  own  life  against 
your  murderous  designs,  to  be  the  first  to  strike  you 
and  imbrue  my  hands  in  youl:  blood  ^ — I  will  not, 
I  cannot  do  it.     Your  heart  is  bad,  it  is  true,  but  still 
you  appear  to  be  a  generous  foe,  for  you  gave  me 
notice  of  what  you  intended  to  do ;  you  have  put  me 
on  my  guard,  and  did  not  attempt  to  assassinate  me 
by  surprise  ;  I,  therefore,  will  spare  you  until  you 
lift  up  your  arm  to  strike,  und  then,  uncle,  it  will  be 
seen    which  of  us  shall  fall !"     The  murderer  was 
liuinderstruck,  and  without  replying  a  word,  slunk 
off  and  left  the  house. 

The  next  anecdote  will  display  an  act  of  heroism 
produced  by  this  elevation  of  mind  which  I  have 
called  pride,  which  perhaps,  may  have  been  equalled, 
but,  I  dare  say,  was  hardly  ever  surpassed.  In  the 
spring  of  the  year  1782,  the  war  chief  of  the  Wyan- 
dots  of  Lower  Sandusky  sent  a  white  prisoner  (a 
young  man  whom  he  had  iaken  at  Fort  IVrintosh) 
»«;  a  present  to  another  chief,  who  was  called  the 


y 


3        *?«<' 


I    \ 


1(1 


( 


!<.' 


148 


INDIAN  ANECDOTES. 


i 

i' 


■i< 


t| 


i' 


Half-king  of  Upper  Sandusky,  for  the 'purpose  of 
beiog  adopted  into  his  family,  in  the  place  of  one  of 
his  sons,  who  had  been  killed  the  preceding  year, 
while  at  war  with  the  people  on  the  Ohio.  The  pri- 
soner arrived,  and  was  presented  to  the  Half-king's 
wife,  buH'she  refused  to  receive  him,  which,  accord- 
ing to  the  Indian  rule,  was,  in  ^ct,  a  sentence  of 
death.  The  young  man  waS)  therefore,  taken  away, 
for  the  purpose  of  being  tortured  and  burnt  on  the 
pile.  While  the  dreadful  preparations  were  making 
near  the  village,  the  unhappy  victim  being  already 
tied  to  the  stake,  and  the  Indians  arriving  from  all 
quarters  to  join  in  the  cruel  act  or  to  witness  it,  two 
English  traders,  MesF  imndel  and  Rohhins^  (I 
delight  in  making  this  honorable  mention  of  their 
names,)  shocked  at  the  idea  of  the  cruelties  which 
were  about  to  be  perpetrated,  and  moved  by  feelings 
of  pity  and  humanity,  resolved  to  unite  their  exer- 
tions to  endeavour  to  save  the  prisoner's  life  by  of- 
fering a  ransom  to  the  war  chief,  ^hich  he,  however 
refused,  because,  said  he,  it  was  an  established  rule 
among  them,  that  when  a  prisoner  who  had  been 
given  as  a  present,  was  refused  adoption,  he  was  irre- 
vocably doomed  to  the  stake,  and  it  was  not  in  the 
power  of  any  one  to  save  his  life.  Besides,  added 
he,  the  numerous  war  captains  who  were  on  the 
spot,  had  it  in  charge  to  see  the  sentence  carried  into 
execution.  The  two  generous  Englishmen,  hotv- 
ever,  were  not  discouraged,  and  determined  to  try  a 
last  effort.  They  well  knew  what  effects  the  high- 
minded  pride  of  an  Indian  was  capable  of  producing, 
and  to  this  strong  and  noble  passion  they  directed 
their  attacks  :  "  But,"  said  they,  in  reply  to  the  an- 
swer which  the  chief  had  made  them,  **  among  all 
those  chiefs  whom  you  have  mentioned,  there  is  none 
who  equals  you  in  greatness ;  you  are  considered 
not  only  as  the  greatest  and  bravest,  but  as  the  best 
man  in  the  nation."  "  Do  you  really  believe  what 
yoQ  say  f "  said  at  once  the  Indian^  looking  them  full 


INDIAN   ANECDOTES. 


HO 


su  the  face.  "  Indeed  we  do."  Then,  without  say- 
ing another  word,  he  blackened  himself,  and  taking 
bis  knife  and  tomahawk  in  his  hand,  made  his  way 
through  the  crowd  to  the  unhappy  victim,  crying  out 
with  a  loud  voice  :  **  What  have  you  to  do  with  my 
prisoner  f"  and  at  o  ./ce  cutting  the  cords  with  which 
he  was  tied,  took  him  to  his  house  which  was  near 
Mr.  Arundel's,  whence  be  was  forthwith  secured  and 
carried  off  by  safe  hands  to  Detroit,  where  the  com- 
mandant, being  informed  of  the  transaction,  sent  him 
by  water  to  Niagara,  where  he  was  soon  afterwards 
liberated.  The  Indians  who  witnessed  this  act,  said 
that  it  was  truly  heroic ;  they  were  so  confounded  by 
the  unexpected  conduct  of  this  chief,  and  by  his 
manly  and  resolute  appearance,  that  they-  had  not 
time  to  reflect  upon  what  they  should  do,  and  before 
their  astonishment  was  well  over,  the  prisoner  was 
out  of  their  reach. — HECKEWK{<t>ER. 


1)1 


i'  ' 


Marvellous  Sagacity  in  tracing  Footsteps. 

It  is  certain  that  the  Indians,  by  the  prints  of  the 
feet  and  by  other  marks  and  signs  perceivable  only  to 
themselves,  can  readily  discover,  not  only  that  men 
have  passed  through  a  particular  path  or  line  of 
march,  but  they  can  discriminate  to  what  particular 
nation  those  men  belong,  and  whether  they  are  their 
friends  or  their  enemies.  They  also  sometimes  make 
discoveries  by  examining  obscure  places,  and  by 
that  means  get  informed  of  an  enemy's  design. 
Nay,  there  are  those  among  them  who  pretend  to  be 
able  to  discriminate  among  various  marks  of  human 
footsteps  the  different  natiui«a  cf  those  to  whom  they 
respectively  belong.  I  shall  not  undertake  to  assert 
thus  far,  but  I  shall  relate  an  anecdote,  the  truth  of 
which  I  firmly  believe,  in  proof  of  their  extraordinary 
sagacity  in  this  respect. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  summer  of  the  year  1755, 
a  most  atrocious  and  shocking  murder  was  unex- 

VOL.  I.  13 


/  \ 


(1 


^ 


.V 


150 


INDUN  AWECDOTEffrf 


1 

i ! 

ft 

i     ; 

1, 1 

#1 

Vll 

^  •■-    ' 

Jjf          1 

i''"'-' 

i?^-       ^ 

I 


pectodly  committed  '  /  a  party  of  Indians,  on  fbnr^ 
teen  uhitc  settlers  Wi  bin  five  miles  of  Shamokinv 
The  surviving  whites,  in  their  rage,  determined  to 
take  their  revenge  by  murdering  a  Delaware  Indian^ 
who  happened  to  be  ii  those  parts  and  was  far  from 
thinking  himself  in  ;.ny  danger.  He  was  a  great 
friend  to  the  whites,  was  loved  and  estee  iied  by  them, 
and  in  testimony  of  their  regard,  had  received  from 
them  the  name  o{  Duke  Holland^  by  ^h'lch  he  was 
generally  knov.  n.  This  Indian,  satisfiec  that  his  na- 
tion was  incapable  of  committing  such  a  foul  murder 
in  a  time  of  profound  peace,  told  the  enraged  settlers, 
that  he  was  sure  that  the  Delawares  were  not  in  any 
manner  concerned  in  it,  and  that  it  was  the  act  of 
some  wleked  IVlingoes  or  Iroquois,  whos>3  custom  it 
was  to  involve  other  nations  in  wars  with  each  other, 
by  clandestinely  committing  murders,  so  that  they 
might  be  laid  to  the  charge  of  others  than  themselves. 
But  all  his  representations  were  vain ;  he  could  not 
convince  exasperated  men  whose  minds  were  fully 
bent  upon  revenge.  At  last,  he  offered  that  if  they 
would  give  him  a  party  to  accompany  him,  he  would 
go  with  them  in  quest  of  the  murderers,  and  was  sure 
he  could  discover  them  by  the  prints  of  their  feet  and 
other  marks  well  known  to  him,  by  which  he  would 
convince  them  that  the  real  perpetrators  of  the  crime 
k  jlonged  to  the  Six  Nations.  His  proposal  was  ac- 
cepted ;  he  marched  at  the  head  of  a  party  of  whites 
and  led  them  into  the  tracks.  They  soon  found 
themselves  in  the  most  rocky  parts  of  a  mountain, 
where  not  one  of  those  who  accompanied  him 
was  able  to  discover  a  single  track,  nor  would  they 
believe  that  man  had  ever  trodden  upon  this  ground. 
as  they  had  to  jump  over  a  number  of  crevices  be- 
tween the  rocks,  and  in  some  instances  to  craw] 
over  them.  Now  they  began  to  believe  that  the  In- 
dian had  led  them  across  those  rugged  mountains  iu 
order  to  give  the  enemy  time  to  escape,  and  threat- 
ened him  with  instant  death  the  moment  tliev  shouhl 


INDIAN  AK£CD0T£1S. 


151 


fee  fully  convinced  of  the  fraud.  The  Indian,  true 
to  his  promise,  would  take  pains  to  make  them  per- 
ceive that,  an  enemy  had  passed  along  the  places 
through  which  he  was  leading  them  ;  here  he  would 
show  them  that  the  moss  on  the  rock  had  been  trod- 
den down  by  the  weight  of  a  human  foot,  there  that 
it  had  been  torn  and  dragged  forward  from  its  place ; 
farther  he  would  point  out  to  them  that  pebbles  or 
small  stones  on  the  rocks  had  been  removed  from 
their  beds  by  the  foot  hitting  against  them,  that  dry 
sticks  by  being  trodden  upon  were  broken,  and  even 
Uiat  in  a  particular  place,  an  Indian's  blanket  had 
been  dragged  over  the  rocks,  and  removed  or 
loosened  the  leaves  lying  there,  so  that  they  lay  no 
more  flat  as  in  other  places ;  all  which  the  Indian 
cculd  perceive  as  he  walked  along,  without  even 
stopping.  At  last  arriving  at  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tain on  soft  ground,  where  the  tracks  were  deep,  he. 
found  out  that  the  enemy  were  eight  in  number,  and 
from  the  freshness  of  the  foot  prints,  he  concluded 
that  they  must  be  encamped  at  no  great  distance. 
This  proved  to  be  the  exact  truth,  for  after  gaining 
the  eminence  on  the  other  side  of  the  valley,  the  In- 
dians were  seen  encamped,  some  having  already  laid 
down  to  sleep,  while  others  were  drawing  off  their 
leggings*  for  the  same  purpose,  and  the  scalps  they 
had  taken  were  hanging  up  to  dry.  "  See !"  said 
Duke  Holland  to  his  astonished  companions,  *'  there 
is  the  enemy !  not  of  my  nation,  but  Mingoes,  as  I 
truly  told  you.  They  are  in  our  power ;  in  less 
than  half  an  hour  they  will  all  be  fast  asleep.  We 
need  not  fire  a  gun,  but  go  up  and  tomahawk  them. 
We  are  nearly  two  to  one,  and  need  apprehend  no 
danger.  Come  on,  and  you  will  now  have  your  full 
revenge  !"  But  the  whites,  overcome  with  fear,  did 
not  choose  to  follow  the  Indian's  advice,  and  urged 
him  to  take  them  back  by  the  nearest  and  best  wav, 


)  i; 


ii 


♦  Indian  flocking. 


*  --'tl 


f: 


152 


INDIAN  ANECDOTES. 


I 


which  he  did,  and  wlien  thov  arrived  at  home  late  as 
.light,  they  reported  the  number  of  the  Iroquois  to 
have  been  so  great,  that  they  durst  not  venture  to  at- 
tack them. 

This  account  is  faithfully  given  as  I  received  it 
from  Duke  Holland  iiimself,  and  took  it  down  in 
writing  at  the  time.  I  had  been  acquainted  with 
this  Indian  for  upwards  of  twenty  years,  and  knew 
him  to  be  honest,  intelligent,  and  a  lover  of  truth. 
Therefore  1  gave  full  credit  to  what  he  told  nie,  and 
as  yet  have  had  no  reason  to  disb.lieve  or  even  to 
doubt  it.  I  once  employed  him  lo  save  the  life  of  a 
respectable  gentleman,  now  residing  at  Pittsburg, 
nho  was  in  imminent  danger  of  being  killed  by  a 
war  party.  Duke  Holland  conducted  him  safely 
through  the  woods,  from  the  Muskingum  to  the  Ohio 
settlement.  He  once  found  a  watch  of  mine,  which 
had  been  sent  to  me  from  Pittsburg  by  a  man  who 
had  got  drunk,  and,  lost  it  in  the  woods  about  fifty 
miles  from  the  place  where  I  lived.  Duke  Holland 
wont  in  search  of  it,  and  having  discovered  the  tracks 
of  the  man  to  whom  it  had  been  intrusted,  he  pursued 
them  until  he  found  the  lost  article,  which  he  deliver 
ocl  to  me. — Heckevvelder. 


1 

1 

It 

1 

w 

Treatment  of  Prisoners. 
Much  has  been  said  on  the  subject  of  the  prelimi- 
Jiary  cruelties  inflicted  on  prisoners,  when  they  enter 
an  Indian  village  with  the  conquering  warriors,  it 
is  certain  that  this  treatment  is  very  severe  when  a 
particular  revenge  is  to  be  exercised  ;  but  otherwise, 
[  can  say  with  truth,  that  in  many  instances,  it  is 
rather  a  scene  of  amusement,  than  a  punishment. 
Much  depends  on  the  courage  and  presence  of  raind 
of  the  prisoner.  On  entering  the  village,  he  is  shown 
a  painted  post  at  the  distance  of  from  twenty  to  forty 
yards,  and  told  to  run  to  it  and  catch  hold  of  it  as 
(juickly  as  he  can.  On  each  side  of  him  stand  men, 
women  and  children,  with  axes,  sticks,  and  other  of- 


.    i 


IKDIAN  ANECDOTES. 


153 


fensive  weapons,  ready  to  strike  him  as  lie  runs,  in 
the  same  manner  as  is  done  in  the  European  armies 
when  soldiers,  as  it  is  called,  run  the  gauntlet.  If 
he  should  be  so  unlucky  as  to  fall  in  the  way,  he  will 
probably  be  immediately  despatched  by  some  person, 
longing  to  avenge  the  death  of  some  relation  or 
friend  slain  in  battle ;  but  the  moment  he  reaches 
the  goal,  he  is  safe  and  protected  from  further  insult 
until  his  fate  is  determined. 

If  a  prisoner  in  such  a  situation  shows  a  deter- 
mined courage,  and  when  bid  to  run  for  the  painted 
post,  starts  at  once  with  all  his  might,  and  exerts  all 
his  strength  and  agility  until  he  reaches  it,  he  will 
most  commonly  escape  without  much  harm,  and 
sometimes  without  any  injury  whatever,  and  on 
i*eaching  the  desired  point,  he  will  have  the  satisfac- 
tion to  hear  his  courage  and  bravery  applauded. 
But  wo  to  the  coward  who  hesitates,  or  shows  any 
symptoms  of  fear  !  He  is  treated  without  much 
mercy,  and  is  happy,  at  last,  if  he  escapes  with  his 
life. 

In  the  month  of  April  1782,  when  I  was  myself  a 
prisoner  at  Lower  Sandusky,  waiting  for  an  oppor- 
tunity to  proceed  with  a  trader  to  Detroit,  I  witnessed 
a  scene  of  this  description  which  fully  exemplified 
what  1  have  above  stated.  Three  American  prison- 
ers were  one  day  brought  in  by  fourteen  warriors 
from  the  garrison  of  Fort  M'Intosh.  As  soon  as 
they  bad  crossed  the  Sandusky  river  to  which  the 
village  lay  adjacent,  they  were  told  by  the  Captain 
of  the  parly  to  run  as  hard  as  they  could  to  a  paint- 
f  d  post  which  was  shown  to  them.  The  youngest  of 
the  three,  without  a  moment's  hesitation,  immediate- 
ly started  for  it,  and  reached  it  fortunately  without 
t-eceiving  a  single  blow  ;  the  second  hesitated  for  a 
moment,  but  recollecting  himself,  he  also  ran  as  fast 
as  he  could  and  likewise  reached  the  post  unhurt'; 
but  the  third,  frightened  at  seeing  so  many  meo,  wo- 
men and  children  with  weapons  in  (licir  hstnds,  ready 

15« 


{ 


If 


n 


)  i 


'I 


(I 


f ' 


S,  ' 


154 


INDIAN   ANECDOTES. 


•I 


to  Strike  him,  kept  begging  the  Captain  to  spare  his 
iife,  saying  he  was  a  mason,  and  he  would  build  him 
a  fine  lurge  stone  house,  or  do  any  work  for  him  that 
he  should  please.  "  Run  for  your  life,"  cried  the 
chief  to  him,  *<  anddonU  talk  now  of  building  houses!" 
But  the  poor  fellow  still  insisted,  begging  and  pray- 
ing to  the  Captain,  who  at  last  finding  his  exhorta- 
tions vain,  and  fearing  the  consequences,  turned  his 
back  upon  him,  and  would  not  hear  him  any  longer. 
Our  mason  now  began  to  run,  but  received  many  a 
hard  blow,  one  of  which  nearly  brought  him  to  the 
ground,  which,  if  he  had  fallen,  would  at  once  have 
decided  his  fate.  He,  however,  reached  the  goal, 
not  without  being  sadly  bruised,  and  he  was  besides, 
bitterly  reproached  and  scoffed  at  all  round  as  a  vile 
<-.oward,  while  the  others  were  hailed  as  brave  men, 
and  received  tokens  of  universal  approbation. — 
Heckewelder. 

Civilized  Indian  guilty  of  Forgery. 

The  following  are  curious  documents  concerning 
the  above  fact.  They  are  now  first  printed  from  the 
originals  in  my  possession.  There  is  something 
very  simple  and  touching  in  the  memorial  of  the 
Chiefs  ;  but  the  letter  of  the  ofiender  himself  is  ra- 
ther too  canting.  Education  seems  in  his  instance, 
to  have  obliterated  every  atom  of  real  and  native 
eloquence.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  he  was  sincere  in 
his  contrition;  but  real  shame  and  sorrow  seldom 
seek  for  fine  phrases ;  and  poor  Josiah,  it  must  be 
acknowledged,  expresses  himself  too  much  like  a 
Milliner's  apprentice  who  had  been  studying  the 
"  Complete  Letter  Writer."  The  penmanship  is  in 
a  plain,  strong  hand.  I  have  bad  the  letter  printed 
without  any  alteration  whatever,  in  either  spelling  or 
punctjiation.     B. 


INDIAN    ANECDOTES. 


155 


To  his  Excellency  De  Witt  Clinton^  Governor  of  the 
State  of  JVew-  York. 

The  memorial  and  petition  of  the  undersigned 
Chiefs  Peace  makers  and  warriors  of  tlie  Muhhi- 
connuk  or  Stockbridge  Tribe  Oi'  Indians  humbly  re- 
presenteth : 

That  whereas  a  certain  young  man  of  our  Tribe 
by  the  name  of  Josiah  W.  Andrew  had  committed  a 
forgery  about  one  year  ago  last  March,  and  was  sen- 
tenced to  the  State's  Prison  at  Auburn  for  the  term, 
of  five  years.  And  we  have  thought  it  was  our  duty 
to  write  few  lines  to  your  Excellency  on  his  behalf. 
Be  it  known  to  your  Excellency  that  it  is  well 
known  to  all  our  Tribe,  that  previous  to  the  crime  for 
which  said  Josiah  was  committed,  he  had  always 
maintained  a  good  character,  and  was  considered  by 
the  nation  to  be  a  good  meaning,  innocent,  and  inof- 
fensive young  man,  and  was  never  known  to  be  guil- 
ty of  any  heinous  crime,  only  that  he  was  subject  to 
intemperate  habits,  which  finally  brought  him  to  the 
place  where  he  is  now  in  confinement.  The  said 
Josiah,  has  an  aged  and  pour  father  who  is  very  in- 
firm, and  wishes  to  see  his  son  in  order  to  have  liis 
help  and  to  comfort  him  in  his  declining  years,  as  he 
has  no  other  son  or  daughter  in  this  country  to  ren- 
der him  anv  assistance. 

We  therefore  hope  and  pray  your  Excellency  will 
condescend  to  have  the  goodness  to  pardon  the  said 
poor  Josiah,  as  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  he  will 
reform  if  he  will  be  restored  to  society  once  more. 
And  we  believe  he  has  already  reformed  by  the  infor- 
mation we  have  received  from  him. 

This  is  the  desire  of  the  whole  of  our  nation,  and 
hope  that  your  Excelleficy  will  hear  us  and  grant  us 
eur  request. 


il 


(I 


■(^•••'•VT' 


'f-if" 


166 


INDIAN    ANECDOTES. 


S'< 


m 


M 


i 


Done  in  a  general  Council,  at  New  Stockbridge. 
this  16th  day  of  January,  1821. 


Hendrick  Aupaumiit, 
Jacob  Kunkopot, 
Solomon  Q.  Hendiiik, 
Abner  W.  Hendrick, 
Abram  Man-maun-teth-e-con, 
John  W.  (^uinney, 
Abram  Pie, 

Solomon  U.  Hendrick,  Clk. 
Thomas  J.  Hendrick, 
William  Tompson. 


Isaac  Littleman, 
£li8ha  Konkapot, 
John  Littleman,         ;l; 
John  Baldwin, 
Cornelius  Aaron, 
Thomas  Palmer, 
Harry  Aaron, 
Jacob  Cheekthauron, 
Francis  P.  Aaron, 

In  behalf  of  the  Tribe. 


Auburn,  December  2ith,  1820. 
Mr.  Sargent  sir, 

I  imbracc  this  oppertunity  of  conversing  tvith  you 
by  way  of  writing  to  inform  you  of  my  heaUh  which 
is  as  good  as  I  can  expect,  confined  as  I  am  within 
the  walls  of  this  drery  and  cold  prison  whilst  I  hope 
you  and  yours  injoy  the  blessing  and  at  your  liberties 
which  is  the  grentist  blessing  that  mortals  can  injoy 
in  this  vain  and  delusive  world  but  alas  that  bounty 
1  have  violated  that  fatal  deed  which  my  heart  bleeds 
when  [  reflect  but  I  am  ditermined  if  ever  1  can  again 
be  r jstored  to  my  former  injoyments  that  I  will  put  a 
double  restrain  on  my  conduct  and  never  again  vio- 
late the  laws  of  my  country.  Mr.  Sargent  1  hope 
you  will  be  so  good  as  to  see  my  friends  and  will  in- 
deaver  with  them  to  assist  me  this  ounce  to  my  liber- 
ty for  .which  favour  I  shall  ever  conceder  myself 
under  the  greatist  obligations — consider  me  sir  as  a 
mortal  liable  to  the  frowns  of  fortune  for  we  are 
none  of  us  exempt  I  hope  you  will  not  leave  me  to 
linger  out  my  few  remaining  years  in  this  wreatched 
abode  1  once  more  intreat  yon  to  have  compassion 
o»  me  as  you  expect  mercy  of  your  creator  for  each 
of  us  as  mortals  have  kneed  of  mercy  from  that 
'tivinc  trci.ig*— 1  wish  sir  you  woultl  sic^e  my  father 


INDIAN  ANECD0TI9. 


167 


and  see  what  lias  been  the  cause  of  my  never  rece- 
ving  any  word  from  him  as  I  never  have  receved 
any  word  from  him  i.ince  I  was  first  arested  ask 
him  sir  if  he  considers  me  dead  because  I  have 
once  done  wrong  tell  him  his  erring  son  is  yet  alive 
and  nirnistly  solisits  your  pardon  and  a  pardon  from 
the  government  against  which  he  has  offended  I  hope 
he  with  your  assistence  will  soon  restore  me  to  my 
liberty  and  my  futer  good  conduct  shall  apologise 
for  the  past  do  not  neglect  me  sir  for  1  am  heartyly 
sorry  for  my  fault 

Mr.  Sargent  I  hope  you  will  send  me  an  answer 
as  soon  as  you  receve  this  give  my  love  to  my  cou- 
sin Jacob  Chicks  and  his  family  with  all  inquiring 
friends 

This  from  your  unhappy  but  sincere  friend 

JosiAH  W.  Andrew. 

To  the  Rev.  John  Sargent f 
V^ernon,  Coxnty  Oneidat 

jy.  York,  (mth  speed.)    , 

Attachment  to  the  Memory  op  deceased 

Friends. 

A  distinguished  Oneida  Chief  named  Skenandou, 
having  yielded  to  the  teaching  of  his  minister,  (the 
Rev.  Mr.  Kirkland,)  and  lived  a  reformed  man  for 
fifty  years,  said,  in  his  l20th  year,  just  before  he 
died,  "  I  am  an  aged  hemlock.  The  winds  of  one 
hundred  years  have  whistled  through  my  branches. 
1  am  dead  at  the  top."  (He  was  blind.)  "  Why  I 
yet  live,  the  great  good  Spirit  only  knows.  Pray  to 
my  Jesus  4hat  I  may  wait  with  patience  my  appoint- 
ed time  to  die  ;  and  when  I  die,  lay  me  by  the  side 
of  my  minister  and  father,  that  1  may  go  up  with  him 
at  t.he  great  resurrection." 


i 


I 


x: 


158 


INDIAN  AN£CD0TC8. 


y 


',' 


Method  of  Writing. 

The  Indian  writing  consists  of  figures  or  liierogly-^ 
phics;  and  the  following  anecdote  will  show  that 
sometimes  it  is  very  much  to  the  purpose  :  A  white 
man  in  the  Indian  country,  met  a  Shawanos  riding  a 
horse  which  he  affected  to  recognise  for  his  own, 
and  claimed  it  from  him  as  his  property.  The  Indiaa 
calmly  answered,  ''  Friend  !  after  a  little  while,  I 
will  call  on  you  at  your  house,  when  we  shall  talk  of 
this  matter."  A  few  days  afterwards,  the  Indian 
came  to  the  white  man's  house,  who  insisting  on  ha- 
ving his  horse  restored,  the  other  then  told  him  : 
*'  Friend  !  the  horse  which  you  claim  belonged  to  my 
uncle  who  lately  died ;  according  to  the  Indian  cus- 
tom, I  have  become  heir  to  all  his  property."  The 
white  man  not  being  satisfied,  and  renewing  his  de- 
mand, the  Indian  immediately  took  a  coal  from  the 
fire-place,  a:  d  made  two  striking  figures  on  the  door 
of  the  house,  the  one  representing  the  white  man  ta- 
king the  horse,  and  the  other,  himself,  in  the  act  of 
scalping  him ;  then  he  coolly  asked  the  trembling 
claimant  '*  whether  he  could  read  this  Indian  wri- 
ting .^"  The  matter  thus  was  settled  at  once,  and  the 
Indian  rode  off. — Heckewelder. 


Constancy  of  an  Indian  Girl. 


In  passing  thro'  Lake  Pepin  our  interpreter  point- 
ed out  to  us  a  high  precipice,  on  the  east  shore  of 
the  lake,  from  which  an  Indian  girl,  of  the  Sioux 
nation,  had,  many  years  ago,  precipitated  herself  in 
a  fit  of  disappointed  love.  She  had  given  her  heart, 
it  appears,  to  a  young  chief  of  her  own  tribe,  who 
was  very  mi:ch  attached  to  her,  but  the  alliance  was 
opposed  by  her  parents,  who  wished  her  to  marry 
an  old  chief,  renowned  for  his  wisdom  and  influence 
in  the  nation.  As  the  union  was  insisted  upon,  and 
uo  other  way  appearing  to  avoid  it,  she  determined 


,/    . 


INnfAN  ANGCnOTE9. 


15(> 


to  sncriHce  licr  life  in  preference  to  ft  violation  of  her 
former  vow  ;  und  while  the  preparations  for  the  mar- 
riage feast  wer3  going  forward,  left  her  father's  ca- 
bin, without  exciting  suspicion,  and  before  she  could 
be  overtaken  threw  herself  from  an  awful  precipice, 
and  was  instantly  dashed  to  a  thousand  pieces. 
Such  an  instance  cf  sentiment  is  rarely  to  be  met 
with  among  barbarians,  and  should  redeem  the  name 
of  this  noble-minded  girl  from  oblivion.  It  wa^ 
Oo-Ia-i-ta. — Schoolcrajl^s  Journal. 

Belief  in  the  Undebstandinc*  of  Beasts. 


I  have  often  reflected  on  the  curious  connexion 
which  appears  to  subsist  in  the  mind  of  an  Indian  be- 
tween man  and  the  brute  creation ;  and  found  much 
matter  in  it  for  curious  observation.  Although  they 
consider  themselves  superior  to  all  other  animals 
and  are  very  proud  of  that  superiority;  althougii 
they  believe  that  the  beasts  of  the  forest,  the  birds  of 
the  air,  and  the  fishes  of  the  waters,  were  created  by 
the  Almighty  Being  for  the  use  of  man  ;  yet  it  seems 
as  if  they  ascribe  the  difference  between  themselves 
and  the  brute  kind,  and  the  dominion  wh*ch  thev 
haveover  them,  more  to  their  superior  bodily  strength 
and  dexterity  than  to  their  immortal  souls.  All  be- 
ings endowed  by  the  Creator  with  the  power  of  voli- 
tion and  self-motion,  they  view  in  a  manner  as  a 
great  society  of  which  they  are  the  head,  whom  they 
are  appointed,  indeed,  to  govern,  but  between  whom 
and  themselves  intimate  ties  of  connexion  and  rela- 
tionship may  exist,  or  at  least,  did  exist  in  the  be- 
ginning of  time.  They  are,  in  fact,  according  to 
their  opinions,  only  the  first  among  equals,  the  legiti- 
mate hereditary  sovereigns  of  the  whole  animated 
race,  of  which  they  are  themselves  a  constituent  part. 
Hence,  in  their  languages,  those  inflections  of  their 
nouns  which  we  call  genders,  are  not,  as  with  us, 
descriptive  of  the  masculine  Vindfemenine  species,  but 


T    I 


-  V 


il/ 


160 


INDIAN    ANBCDOTfiS. 


» 


i      ' 


but  of  the  animate  and  inanimate  k'inds.  Indeed, 
they  go  so  far  as  to  include  trees  and  plants  within 
the  first  of  these  descriptions.  All  animated  nature, 
in  whatever  degree,  is  in  their  eyes  a  great  whole, 
from  which  they  have  not  yet  ventured  to  separate 
themselves.  They  do  not  exclude  other  animals 
from  their  world  of  spirits,  the  place  to  which  they 
expect  to  go  after  death. 

I  find  it  difficult  to  express  myself  clearly  on  this 
abstruse  subject,  which,  perhaps,  the  Indians  them- 
selves do  not  very  well  understand,  as  they  have  no 
metaphysicians  among  them  to  ai'.alyze  their  vague 
notions,  and  perhaps  confuse  them  still  more.  But 
I  can  illustrate  what  I  have  said  by  some  character- 
istic anecdotes. 

The  Indian  includes  all  savage  beasts  within  the 
number  of  his  enemies.     This  is  bv  no  means  a  meta- 

ft/ 

phorical  or  figurative  expression,  but  is  used  in  a 
literal  sense,  as  will  appiiur  from  what  1  am  going  to 
relate. 

A  Delaware  ifnnter  once  shot  a  huge  bear  and 
broke  its  back  bone.  The  animal  fell  and  set  up  a 
most  plaintive  cry,  something  like  that  of  the  panther 
when  he  is  hungry.  Tiie  hunter,  instead  of  giving 
him  another  shot,  stood  up  close  to  him,  and  ad' 
dressed  hini  in  these  words:  "Hark  ye!  bear; 
you  are  p  coward,  and  no  warrior  as  you  pretend  to 
be.  Were  you  a  warrior,  you  would  show  it  by 
your  firmness,  and  not  cry  and  whimper  like  an  old 
woman.  You  know,  bear,  that  our  tribes  are  at  war 
with  each  other,  and  that  yours  was  the  aggressor.* 
You  have  found  the  Indians  too  powerful  for  you. 
and  you  have  gone  sneaking  about  in  the  woods, 
stealing  their  hogs;  perhaps  at  this  time  you  have 

*  Probably  allnlinf?  to  a  tradition  which  the  Indians  have  of  a 
very  feronioiis  kind  ol  bear,  called  the  naked  bear,  which  they  say 
ouce  existed,  but  was  toiully  destroyed  by  their  ancestors.  The 
last  was  killrl  .n  ilie  Now  York  state,  at  a  place  they  called  Hoc- 
"ink,  which  moan?  the  Basin,  or  nioro  pi-operly  the  Keltle. 


I 


INDIAN    ANECDOTES. 


161 


hog's  flesh  in  your  belly.  Had  you  conquered  me, 
I  would  have  borne  it  with  courage  and  died  like  a 
brave  warrior;  but  you,  bear,  sit  here  and  cry,  and 
disgrace  your  tribe  by  your  cowardly  conduct."  I 
was  present  at  the  delivery  of  this  curious  invective  ; 
when  the  hunter  had  despatched  the  bear,  I  asked 
him  bow  he  thought  the  poor  animal  could  under- 
stand what  he  said  to  it  ?  "  Oh  !"  said  he  in  answer, 
''  the  bear  understood  me  very  well ;  did  yon  not 
observe  how  ashamed  he  looked  while  I  was  upbraid- 
ing him  f" 

Another  time  I  witnessed  a  similar  scene  between 
the  falls  of  the  Ohio  and  the  river  Wabash.  A  young 
white  man,  named  William  Welhf*  who  had  been 
when  a  boy  taken  prisoner  by  a  tribe  of  the  Wabash 
Indians,  by  whom  he  was  brought  up,  and  had  im- 
bibed all  their  notions,  had  so  wounded  a  large  bear 
that  he  could  not  move  from  the  spot,  and  the  ani- 
mal cried  piteously  like  the  one  I  have  just  mention- 
ed. The  young  man  went  up  to  him,  and  with  seem- 
ingly great  earnestness,  addressed  him  in  the  Wabash 
language,  now  and  then  giving  him  a  slight  stroke 
on  the  nose  with  his  ram-rod.  I  asked  him,  when 
he  had  done,  what  he  had  been  saying  to  this  bear  f 
''I  have,"  said  he,  *' upbraided  him  for  acting  the 
part  of  a  coward  ;  I  told  him  that  he  knew  the  for- 
tune of  war,  that  one  or  the  other  of  us  must  have 
fallen;  that  it  was  his  fate  to  be  conquered,  and  he 
ought  to  die  like  a  man,  like  a  hero,  and  not  like  an 
old  woman ;  that  if  the  case  had  been  reversed,  and 
I  had  fallen  uio  the  power  of  my  enemy ,  I  would  not 
i)av6  disgraced  my  nation  as  he  did,  but  would  have 
died  with  firmness  and  courage,  as  becomes  a  true 
warrior." — H^ckcwelder. 


m 


*  The  same  whom  Mr.  de  Volney  speaks  of  in  his  excellent 
View  of  the  Soil  and  Climate  of  United  Stales."    Fupplement. 


No.  VI.  page  356.    Philadelphia  Edition,  1804. 


VOL.    I. 


14 


.'•if-*'*' 


.  -\ 


62 


If! 


i'( 


1N1>IAN    ANECDOTES. 


Suicide. 


Suicide  is  not  considered  by  the  Indians  either  a.^ 
an  act  of  herosim  or  of  cowardice,  nor  is  it   with 
them  a  subject  of  praise  or  blame.     They  view  this 
desperate  act  as  the  consequence  of  mental  derange- 
ment, and  the  person  who  destsoys    himself  ts   to 
them  an  object  ofpity.    Such  cases  do  not  frequently 
occur.     Between   the   years    1771    and  1780,  four 
Indians  of  my  acquaintance  took  the  root  of  the 
may-apple,  which  is  commonly  used  on  such  occa- 
sions, in  order  tr^  poison  themselves,  in  which  the}' 
all  succeeded,  e  icept  one.    Two  of  them  were  young 
men,  who  had  been  disappointed   in    love,  the  girls 
on  whom  they  had  fixed  their  choice,  and  to  whom 
they  were  engaged,  having  changed  their  tninds  and 
married    other  lovers.     They  both    put  a;i  end  to 
their  existence.     The  two  others  were  married  men. 
Their  stories,  as  pictures  of  Indian  manners,  will  not, 
perhaps,  be  thought  uninteresting. 

One  of  these  unfortunate  men  \\  as  a  person  of  an 
excellent   character,  respected  and  esteemed  by  all 
who  knew  him.     He  had  a  wife  whom  he  was  very 
fond  of  and  two  children,  and  they  lived  very  happily 
together  at  the  distance  of  about  a  half  a  mile  from  the 
placf;  where  I  resided.     He  often  came  to  visit  me, 
and  as  he  was  of  a   most  amiable  disposition,  1  was 
pleased  with  his  visits,  and  always  gave  him  n  hearty 
welcome.     When  I  thought  he  was  too  long  without 
coming,  I  went  myself  to  the  delightful  spot  which 
he  had  judiciously  selected  for  his  dwelling.     Here) 
always  found  the  family  cheerful,  sociable  and  happy, 
until  some  time  before  the  fatal  catastrophe  happened, 
when  1  observed  that  my  friend's  countenance  bore 
the  marks  of  deep  melancholy,  of  which  I  afterwards 
learned  the  cause.     His  wife  had  received  the  visits 
of  another  man ;  he  foresaw  that  he  would  soon  be 
obliged  to  separate  from  her,  and  he  shuddered  when 
iie  thought  that  he  must  also  part  fi  om  bis  two  lovely 


tfc 


INDIAN   ANECDOTES. 


1 63 


ns  either  a? 

is  it  with 
ey  view  this 
:al  derange- 
mself  is  to 
)t  frequently 

1780,  four 
root  of  the 
I  such  occa- 

which  they 

were  young 
ve,  the  girls 
nd  to  whom 
ir  minds  and 
It  Bii  end  to 
narried  men. 
lers,  will  not, 

person  of  an 
eemed  by  all 
he  was  very 
very*  happily 
mile  from  the 

to  visit  me, 
ssilion,  1  was 
him  n  hearty 
long  without 
1  spot  which 
ling.  Here  1 
)\e  and  happy, 
)he  happened, 
Uenance  bore 

I  afterwards 
ived  the  visits 
ouM  soon  be 
uddered  when 
his  two  lovely 


children ;  for  it  is  tlie  custom  of  the  Indians,  that 
when   a  divorce  takes  place  between  husband  and 
wife,  the  children  remain  with   their  mother,  until 
they  are  of  a  proper  age  to  choose  for  themselves. 
One  hope,    however,    still   remained.     The   sugar- 
making  season   was  at  hand,  and  they  were  shortly 
to  remove  to  their  sugar  camp,  where  he  flattered 
iiimself  his  wife  would  not  be  followed  by  the  dis- 
turber of  his  peace,  whose  residence  was  about  ten 
miles  from  thence.     But  this  hope  was  of  short  du- 
I'ation.     They  had  hardly  been  a  fortnight  in  their 
new  habitation,  when,  as  he  returned  one  day  from  a 
morning's  hunt,  he  found  the  unwelcome  visiter  at 
his  home,  in  close   conversation  with  his  faithless 
wife.     This  last  stroke  was  more  than  he  could  bear; 
without  saying  a  single  word,  he  took  off  a  large 
cake  of  his  sugar,  and  with  it  came  to    my  house, 
which  was  at  the  distance  of  eight  miles  from   his 
temporary  residence.     It  was  on  a  Sunday,  at  about 
ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon,  that  he  entered  niy  door, 
with  sorrow  strongly  depicted  on  his  manly  counte- 
nance.    As  he  came  in  he  presented   me  with  his 
cake  of  sugar,  saying,  •'  My  friend  !  you  have  many 
a  time  served  me  with  a  good  pipe  of  tobacco,  and 
1  have  not  yet  done  any  thing  to  please  you.     Take 
this  as  a  reward  for   your    goodness,  nnd  as  an  ac- 
knowledgement from  me  as  your  friend  "     He  said 
no  more,  but  giving  me  with  both  his  hands,  a  warn^ 
farewell  squeeze,  he  departed  and  returned  to  the  camp 
Xi  about  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  a  runner  fron^ 
thence  passing  through  the  town   to  notify  his  deati* 
at  the  village  two   miles  fartber,  informed  us  of  th(? 
shocking  event.     He  had  immediately  on  his  return^ 
remained  a  short  time  in  his   house,  indulging  in  th^ 
last  caresses  to  his  dear  innocent  children;  then  ref 
tiring  to  some  distance,  had  eaten  the  fatal  root,  an(l 
before  relief  could  be  administered  by  some  person^ 
who  had  observed   him  staggering  from  the  otheijf 


i 


li 


^ 


■  ■— j-'-^'s; 


\ 


164 


INDIAN    ANrXDOTCS. 


side  of  the  river,  he  was  on  tJie  point  of  expiring,  and 
all  succours  were  vain. 

The  last  whom  I  have  lo  mention,  was  also  a 
married  man,  but  had  n'j  children,  llz  had  lived 
happ.v  with  his  wife,  until  one  da^^  that  she  fell  into  a 
passion  and  made  use  to  him  of  such  abusive  lan- 
guage as  he  could  not  endure.  Too  high-minded  to 
quarrel  with  a  woman,  he  resolved  to  punish  her  by 
putting  an  end  to  his  existence.  Fortunately  he  was 
seen  in  the  first  rtage  of  his  fits,  and  was  brought 
into  a  house,  where  a  strong  emetic  diluted  in  luke- 
warm water,  was  forcibly  poured  down  his  throat. 
He  recovered  after  some  time,  but  never  was  a^^ain 
the  strong  healthy  man  he  had  been  before  ;  his  wife 
however,  took  warning  from  this  desperate  act,  and 
behaved  better  ever  after. — Heckewelder. 

Drunkenness. 

An  Indian  who  had  been  born  and  brought  up  at 
Miiiisink,  near  the  Delaware  Water  Gap,  and  to 
whom  the  German  inhabitants  of  that  neighbour- 
hood had  given  the  name  of  Cornelius  Rosenbaum, 
told  me  near  fifty  years  ago,  that  he  had  once,  when 
under  the  influence  of  strong  liquor,  killed  the  best 
Indian  friend  he  had,  fancying  him  to  be  his  worst 
avowed^  enemy.  He  said  that  the  deception  was 
complete,  and  that  while  intoxicated,  the  iace  of  his 
friend  presented  to  his  eyes  ?i\\  the  features  of  the 
man  with  wiioni  he  was  in  a  state  of  hostility.  It  is 
impossible  to  express  the  horror  with  which  he  was 
struck  when  he  awoke  from  that  delusion ;  he  was 
so  shocked,  that  he  from  that  moment  resolved 
never  more  to  taste  of  the  maddening  poison,  of 
which  he  was  convinced  that  the  devil  was  the  in- 
ventor ;  for  It  could  only  be  the  evil  spirit  who  nriadr 
him  see  his  enemy  when  his  friend  was  before  him, 
and  produced  so  strong  a  delusion  on  his  bewildered 
senses,  that  he  actually  killed  him.     From  that  tim^ 


( 


INDIAN    ANECDOTES. 


1C6 


1.^. 


until  bis  death,  which  happened  thirty  years  after- 
wards, he  nerer  drank  a  drop  of  ardent  spirits, 
which  he  always  called  "  the  Devil's  blood,"  arid 
was  firmly  persuaded  that  the  Devil,  or  some  of  his 
inferior  spirits,  had  a  hand  in  preparing  it. 

Once  in  my  travels,  I  fell  in  with  an  Indian  and  his 
son ;  the  former,  though  not  addicted  to  drinking, 
bad  this  time  drunk  some  liquor  with  one  of  his  ac- 
quaintances, of  which  he  now  feh  the  effects.  As 
he  was  walking  before  nie,  along  the  path,  he  at  once 
flew  back  and  aside,  calling  out  "  O !  what  a  mon- 
strous snake!"  On  my  asking  him  where  the  snake 
lay,  he  pointed  to  something  and  said,  "  Why,  there, 
across  the  path  !"  "  A  snake!"  said  I,  "  it  is  nothing 
but  a  black-burnt  sapling,  which  has  fallen  on  the 
ground."  He,  however,  would  not  be  persuaded; 
he  insisted  that  it  was  a  snake,  and  could  be  notliing 
else;  therefore,  to  avoid  it,  he  went  round  the  path, 
and  entered  it  again  at  some  distance  farther.  Af- 
ter we  had  travelled  together  for  about  two  hours, 
during  whieh  time  he  spoke  but  little,  we  encamped 
for  the  night.  Awaking  about  midnight,  1  saw  him 
sitting  up  smoking  his  pipe,  and  appearing  to  be  in 
deep  thought.  I  asked  him  why  he  did  not  lay 
down  and  sleep  .^  To  which  he  replied,  **  O  my 
friend  !  many  things  have  crowded  on  my  mind ;  I 
am  quite  lost  in  thought !"  . 

Heckew. — "And  what  are  you  thinking  about  f" 

Indian, — "Did  you  say  it  was  not  a  snake  of  which 
I  was  afraid,  and  which  lay  across  the  p  ith  f" 

Heckew, — "  I  did  say  so  ;  and,  indeed,  it  was 
nothing  else  bat  a  sapling  burnt  black  by  the  firing 
of  the  woods." 

Indian, — "  Arc  you  sure  it  was  that  ?" 

Heckew, — "  Yes ;  and  I  called  to  you  at  the  time 
to  look,  howl  was  standing  on  it;  and  if  you  have 
yet  a  doubt,  ask  your  son,  and  the  two  Indians  with 
me,  and  they  will  tell  you  the  same." 

Indian^ — "  O  strange  !  and  1  took  it  for  an  un- 

14* 


S\ 


rf«'> 


16G 


INDIAN  ANECDOTES. 


h  ' 


^ 


)l 


\ 


i 


commoniy  large  snake,  moving  as  if  it  intended  (u 
bite  nic  ! — I  cannot  .get  over  my  surprise,  that  the 
liquor  I  drank,  and,  indeed,  that  was  not  much, 
should  have  so  deceived  me  !  but  I  think  I  have  now 
discovered  ibow  it  happens  that  Indians  so  oflen  kill 
one  another  when  drunk,  almost  without  knowing 
what  they  are  doing ;  and  when  afterwards  they  are 
told  what  they  have  done,  they  ascribe  it  to  the  liquor 
which  was  in  them  at  the  time,  and  say  the  liquor 
did  it.  I  have  thought  that  as  I  saw  this  time  a  living 
snake  in  a  dead  piece  of  ivood,  so  1  might,  at  another 
time,  take  a  human  being,  perhaps  one  of  my  own 
family,  for  a  bear  or  some  other  fierocious  beast  and 
k'll  him.  Can  you,  my  friend,  tell  me  what  is  in 
the  heson*  that  confuses  one  so,  and  transforms  things 
in  that  manner  f  Is  it  an  invisible  spirit  ?  It  must 
be  something  alive ;  or  have  the  white  people  sorce- 
rers among  them,  who  put  something  in  the  liquor  to 
deceive  those  who  drink  it  ^  Do  the  white  people 
drink  of  the  same  liquor  that  they  give  to  the  Indians  ."* 
Do  they  i^lso,  when  drunk,  kill  people,  and  bite 
noses  offf  as  the  Indians  do  .'*  Who  taught  the  white 
people  to  make  so  pernicious  a  beson  ?" 

I  answered  all  these  questions,  and  several  others 
that  he  put  to  me,  in  the  best  manner  that  I  could, 
to  which  he  replied,  and  our  conversation  continued 
as  follows : 

Indian^ — **  Well,  if,  as  you  say,  the  bad  spirit  can- 
not be  the  inventor  of  this  liquor ;  if,  in  some  cases  it 
is  moderately  used  among  you  as  a  medicine,  and  if 
your  doctors  can  prepare  from  it,  cr  with  the  help  of 
a  little  of  it,  some  salutary  besons,  stiW,  I  must  believo 
that  when  it  operates  as  you  have  seen,  the  bad  spirit 
must  have  some  Kand  in  it,  either  by  putting  some 
bad  thing  into  it,  unknown  to  thoise  who  prepare  h, 
or  you  have  conjurers  who  understand  how  to  be- 
witch it. — Perliaps  they  only  do  so  to  that  which  is 

*  This  wor«l  meaos  liquor^  and  is  alao  used  in  the  vcuse  of  a  mi>- 
dicinal  draught,  op  otlior  compound  potion. 


INDIAN   ANECDOTES. 


167 


fi 


I  tended   lu 
)j  that  the 
not  much, 
I  have  now 
)  often  kill 
t  knowing 
Is  they  are 
)  the  liqucv 
the  liquor 
me  a  living 
,  at  another 
of  my  own 
i  beast  and 
what  is  in 
orms  things 
f*     It  must 
ople  sorce- 
lie  liquor  to 
hite  people 
he  Indians  f 
;,   and  bite 
the  white 

^eral  others 

at  I  could, 

continued 

spirit  can- 
tme  cases  it 

ne,  and  if 
I  the  helpot 
nust  believr 
e  bad  spirit 
utting  some 

prepare  :t, 
how  to  be- 
lat  which  is 

liCiise  of  •  w**- 


I 


lor  the  Indians;  for  the  devil  is  not  the  Indians'/riend, 
because  they  will  not  worship  him,  as  they  do  the 
good  Spirit,  and  therefore  I  believe  he  puts  something 
into  the  besorit  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  them." 

Ueckew. — "What  the  devil  may  do  with  the  liquor 
I  cannot  tell ;  but  I  believe  that  he  has  a  hand  in 
every  thing  that  is  bad.  When  the  Indians  kill  one 
another,  bite  off  each  other's  noses,  or  commit  such 
wicked  acts,  he  is  undoubtedly  well  satisfied  ;  for,  as 
God  himself  has  said,  he  is  a  destroyer  and  a  mur> 
derer." 

Indian^ — "  Well,  now,  we  think  alike,  and  hence- 
forth he  shall  never  again  deceive  me,  or  entice  mc 
to  drink  his  heson^ 

In  the  year  1769,  an  Indian  iVom  Susquehannah 
having  come  to  Bethlehem  with  his  sons  to  dispose 
of  his  peltry,  was  accosted  by  a  trader  from  a  neigh- 
bouring town;  who  addressed  him  thus  :  "  Well ! 
Thomas,  I  really  believe  you  have  turned  Moravian." 
'*  Moravian  !"  answered  the  Indian,  "  what  makes 
you  think  «o  ?" — **  Because,"  replied  the  other, "  you 
used  to  come  to  us  to  sell  j'our  skins  and  peltry,  and 
now  you  trade  them  away  to  the  Moravians."  "  So  !" 
rejoined  the  Indian,  "  now  I  understand  you  well,  and 
I  know  what  you  mean  to  say.  Now  hear  me. — 
See,  my  friend  !  when  I  come  to  this  place  with  my 
skins  and  peltry  to  trade,  the  people  are  kind,  they 
give  me  plenty  of  good  victuals  to  eat,  and  pay  me 
in  money  or  whatever  I  want,  and  no  one  says  a  word 
to  me  about  drinking  rum — neither  do  I  ask  for  it ! 
When  I  come  to  your  place  with  my  peltry,  all  call 
to  me :  *  Come,  Thomas !  here's  rum,  drink  heartilj', 
drink  !  it  will  not  hurt  you.'  All  this  is  done  for  the 
purpose  of  cheating  roe.  When  you  have  obtained 
from  me  all  you  want,  you  call  me  a  drunken  dog. 
and  kick  me  out  of  the  room. — See  !  this  is  the  man- 
ner in  which  you  cheat  the  Indians  when  thejTcome 
to  .trade  with  you.  So  now  you  know  when  you 
sec  me  coming  to  your  town  again,  you  may  say  te 


\( 


til 


V  !l 


■.z.^--. 


>'     I 


ijf.' 


i. 


168 


iNJttlAN  ANECDOTES. 


one  ai^other :  '  Ali !  there  is  Thomas  coining  again  ! 
he  is  DO  longer  a  Moravian,  for  he  is  coming  to  us  to 
be  made  drunk — to  he  cheated — to  be  kicked  out  of 
the  house,  and  h«  called  a  drunken  dog  /'  " — Hecke- 

WELDER. 

Friendship. 


m. 


In  the  }ear  1779,  the  noted  Girty  with  his  mur- 
dering party  of  Mingoes,  nine  in  number,  fell  in  with 
the  Missio  "y  ^  sberger,  on  the  path  leading  from 
Goschackii  Tnadenhiitten ;  their  design  was  to 

take  that  wt>  >liy  tv  «n  prisoner,  and  if  the  could  not 
seize  him  alive,  to  n  ^  Her  him  and  take  his  scalp  to 
Detroit.  They  were  on  the  point  of  laying  hold  of 
him,  when  two  young  spirited  Delawares  providen- 
tially entered  the  pp.th  at  that  critical  moment,  and 
in  an  instant  presented  themselves  to  defend  the  good 
Missionary  a^  the  risk  of  their  lives.  Their  deter- 
mined conduct  had  the  desired  success,  and  his  life 
was  saved.  His  deliverers  afterwards  declaied  that 
they  had  no  other  motive  for  thus  exposing  them- 
selves for  his  sake,  than  that  he  was  a  friend  to  their 
nation  and  was  considered  by  them  as  a  good  man. 

In  the  year  1777,  while  the  revolutionary  war  was 
raging,  and  several  Indian  tribes  had  enlisted  on  the 
British  side,  and  were  spreading  murder  and  devas- 
tation along  our  unprotected  frontier,  1  rather  rashly 
determined  to  take  a  journey  into  the  country  on  a 
visit  to  my  friends.  Captain  White  Eyes,  an  Indian 
chief,  resided  at  that  time  at  the  distance  of  seventeen 
n)iles  from  the  place  where  1  lived.  Hearing  of  my 
determination,  he  immediately  hurried  up  to  me,  with 
his  friend  Captain  Wingenund,  (whom  I  shall  pre- 
sently have  occasion  farther  to  mention)  and  some  of 
his  young  men,  fcr  the  purpose  of  escorting  me  to 
Pittsburg,  saying,  "  that  he  would  not  suffer  me  to 
go,  while  the  Sandusky  warriors  were  out  on  war 
eicursioiis,  without  a  proper  escort  and  himself  at  my 


INDIAN   ANECPOTES. 


169 


side."  He  insisted  on  accompanying  me,  and  we  set 
out  together.  One  day,  as  we  were  proceeding  along, 
our  spies  discovered  a  suspicious  track.  White 
Eyes,  who  was  riding  before  me,  inquired  whether  I 
felt  afraid  f  J  answered  that  while  he  was  with  me,  1 
entertained  no  fear.  On  this  he  immediately  replied, 
"  You  are  right ;  fbr  until  I  am  laid  prostrate  at  your 
feet,  no  one  shall  hurt  you."  "  And  even  not  then,'' 
added  Wingenund,  who  was  riding  behind  me  ;  "  be- 
fore this  happens,  I  must  be  also  overcome,  and  lay 
by  the  side  of  our  friend  Koguethagechton."*  I  be- 
lieved them,  and  I  believe  at  this  day  that  these  great 
men  were  sincere,  and  that  if  they  had  been  put  to 
the  test,  they  would  have  shown  it,  as  did  another  In- 
dian friend  by  whom  my  life  was  saved  in  the  spring 
of  the  year  1781.  From  behind  a  log  in  the  bushes 
where  he  was  concealed,  he  espied  a  hostile  Indian  at 
the  very  moment  he  was  levelling  his  piece  at  mc. 
Quick  as  lightning  he  jumped  between  us,  and  ex- 
posed his  person  to  the  musket  shot  just  about  to  be 
fired,  when  fortunately  the  aggressor  desisted,  fron. 
fear  of  hitting  the  Indian,  whose  body  thuseflectually 
protected  me,  at  the  imminent  risk  of  his  own  life. 
Captain  White  Eyes,  in  the  year  1774,  saved  in  the 
same  manner  the  life  of  David  Duncan,  the  peace- 
messenger,  whom  he  was  escorting  He  rushed,  re- 
gardless of  his  own  life,  up  to  an  inimical  Shawanese, 
who  was  aiming  at  our  ambassador  from  behind  a 
bush,  and  forced  him  to  desist. 

In  the  year  1782,  a  settlement  of  Christian  Indians 
on  the  Sandusky  river,  were  cruelly  murdered,  by  a 
gang  of  banditti,  under  the  command  of  one  Wil- 
liamson. Not  satisfied  with  this  horrid  outrage,  the 
same  band,  not  long  afterwards,  marched  to  Sandus- 
ky, where  it  seems  they  had  been  informed  that  the 
remainder  of  that  unfortunate  congregation  bad  fled, 
in  order  to  perpetrate  upon  them  the  same  indiscri- 

*  The  Indian  name  of  Capt.  ^Vhite  Eyes. 


•Ill 
I 


1 


■':']: 


I 


(\ 


■.i%-~. 


^4 ' 


.z::r< 


.  1. 


n 

f 

'I- 

i  i 

m 

kft 

■3 

pi.' 


170 


INDIAN    ANECDOTES. 


mlnale  murder.  But  Providence  bad  so  ordered  it 
that  they  had  before  left  that  place,  where  they  had 
found  that  they  could  not  remain  in  safety,  their  mi- 
nisters having  been  taken  from  them  and  carried  to 
Detroit  by  order  of  the  British  ^(overnment,  so  that 
they  had  butn  left  entirely  unprotected.  The  mur- 
derers, on  their  arrival,  were  much  disappointed  in 
finding  nothing  but  empty  huts.  They  then  shaped 
their  course  towards  the  hostile  Indian  villages, 
where  being,  contrary  to  their  expectations,  furious- 
ly attacked,  Williamson  and  his  band  took  the  ad- 
vantage of  a  dark  night  and  ran  off,  and  the  whole 
party  escaped,  except  one  Colonel  Crawford  and  an- 
other, who  being  taken  by  the  Indians,  were  carried 
ir.  triumph  to  their  village,  where  the  former  was 
condemned  to  death  by  torture,  and  the  punishment 
was  inflicted  with  all  the  cruelty  that  rage  could  in- 
vent. The  latter  was  demanded  by  the  Shawanesc 
and  seijt  to  them  for  punishment. 

While  pi  «>parations  were  making  for  the  execution 
of  this  dreadTm  senieiice,  the  unfortunate  Crawford 
recollected  that  the  Delaware  chief  Wingenund,*  of 
whom  I  have  spoken  in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter, 
had  b'len  his  friend  in  happier  times  ;  he  had  several 
times  entertained  him  at  his  house,  and  showed  him 
those  marks  of  attention  which  are  so  grateful  to  the 
poor  despi:ed  Indians.  A  ray  of  hope  darted  through 
his  soul,  and  he  requested  that  Wingenund,  who  lived 
at  some  distance  from  the  village,  might  be  sent  for. 
His  request  was  granted,  and  a  messenger  was  de- 
spatched for  the  chief,  who,  reluctantly,  indeed,  but 
without  hesitation,  obeyed  the  summons,  and  imme- 
diately came  to  the  fatal  spot. 

This  great  and  good  man  was  not  only  one  of  the 
bravest  and  most  celebrated  warriors,  but  one  of  the 
most  amiable  men  of  the  Delaware  nation.     To  a 


*  Thia  name,  according  to  the  English  orthography,  should  br 
written  Winganonnd  or  fVingaynoond^  the  second  syllable  accent 
e>\  and  long,  and  the  last  syllable  short. 


ii 


ordered  it 
the^r  had 
,  iheir  mi- 
carried  to 
nt,  so  that 
The  mur- 
ppointed  in 
hen  shaped 
n   villages, 
ns,  furious- 
»ok  the  ad- 
rl  the  whole 
brd  and  «>n- 
;vere  carried 
former  was 
punishment 
ge  could  in- 
Shawanesc 


he  execution 
lie  Crawford 
renund,*  of 
this  chapter, 
i  had  several 
showed  him 
rateful  to  the 
rted  through 
id,  who  lived 

be  sent  for. 
cer  was  de- 

indeed,  but 
and  imme- 

y  one  of  the 
jt  one  of  the 
ation.     To  a 

aphy,  should  be 
syllable  accent 


INDtAN    ASECUOTES. 


171 


fii'm  undaunted  mind,  he  joined  humanit;^,  kindness 
and  universal  benevolence  ;  the  excellciit  qualities  of 
his  heart  had   obtained  for  him  tiie  name  of  Wlngc- 
ixund  which  in  the  Lenape  language  ^ignifips  the  well 
beloved.     He  had  kept  away  from  the  tragicul  scene 
about  to  be  acted,  to   mourn  in  silence  and  solitude 
over  the  fate  of  his  guilty  friend,  which  he  well  knew 
it  was  not  in  his  power  to  prevent.  He  was  now  call- 
ed upon  to  act  a  painful  as  well  as  difficult  part :  the 
eyes    of  his  enraged  countrymen  were  fixed  upon 
him  ;   he  was  an  Indian  and  a  Delaware ;  he  was  a 
leader  of  that  nation,    whose    defenceless    members 
had  been  so  cruelly  murdered  without  distinction  of 
age  or  sex,   und  whose  innocent  blood  called   aloud 
for  the  most  signal  revenge.     Could  ho  take  the  part 
of  a  chief  of  the  base  murderers.'*    Could  he  forget 
altogether  tlie  feelings  of  anqient  fellowship  and  give 
way  exclusively  to  those  of  the  Indian  and  the  pa- 
triot.^ Fully  sensible  that  in  the  situation  in  which  he 
was  placed  the  latter  nmst,  in  appearance,  at  least, 
predominate,  he  summoned  to  his  aid  the  firmness 
and  dignity  of  an  Indian  warrior,  approached  Colo- 
nel Crawford  and  waited  in  silence  for  the  communi- 
cations he  had  to  make.  The  following  dialogue  now 
took  place  between  them  : 

Crawf. — Do  you  recollect  me,  Wingenund  .'' 
fVingen. — I  believe  I  do ;  are  you  not   Colonel 
Crawford.^ 

Crawf. — 1  am.  How  do  you  do  f  I  am  glad  lo 
see  you,  Captain. 

fVingen. — (embarrassed)  So  !  yes,  indeed. 
Crawf. — Do  you   recollect  the  friendship  that  al- 
ways existed  between  us,   and  that  we  were  always 
glad  to  see  each  other.'' 

fyingen. — I  recollect  all  this.  1  remember  that 
we  have  drunk  many  a  bowl  of  punch  together.  I 
remember  also  other  acts  of  kindness  that  you  have 
done  me. 


I::*. 


a 


-1/ 


i»  s 


&:l^''ijdt^ 


•".. 


1 


:'*iv 


172 


INDIAN  ANECDOTES. 


Crauf. — ^Then  I  hope  the  same  frieudsbip  still 
subsists  between  us. 

fVingen, — It  would,  of  course,  be  the  same,  were 
you  in  your  proper  place  and  not  here. 

Cratef, — And  why  not  here,  Captain  ?  I  hope  you 
would  not  desert  a  friend  in  time  of  need.  Now  is 
the  time  for  you  to  exert  yourself  in  my  behalf,  as  I 
should  do  for  you  were  you  in  my  place. 

Wingen. — Colonel  Crawford  j  you  have  placed 
yourself  ill  a  situation  which  puts  it  out  of  my  power 
and  that  of  others  of  your  fricndi  to  do  any  thing  for 
you. 

Crauf. — How  so,  Captain  Wingcnuftd  ? 
Wingen. — By  joining  yourself  to  that  execrable 
man,  Williamson  and  his  party  ;  the  man,  who,  but 
the  other  day  murdered  such  a  number  of  the  Mora- 
vian Indians,  knowing  them  to  be  friends  ;  knowing 
that  he  ran  no  ris*'.  in  murdering  a  people  who  would 
not  fight,  and  whose  only  business  was  praying. 

Crauf, — Wingenund,  I  assure  you,  that  had  I 
been  with  him  at  the  time,  this  would  not  have  hap- 
pened ;  not  I  alone,  but  all  your  friends  and  all  good 
men,  wherever  they  are,  reprobate  acts  of  this  kind. 
Wingen. — That  may  be ;  yet  these  friends,  these 
good  men  did  not  prevent  him  from  going  out  again, 
to  kill  the  remainder  of  those  inoffensive,  yet  foolish 
Moravian  Indians  !  I  say  fooliahf  because  they  be- 
lieved the  whites  in  preference  to  us.  We  had  oAen 
told  them  that  they  would  be  one  day  so  treated  by 
those  people  who  called  themselves  their  friends  ! 
We  told  them  that  there  was  no  faith  to  be  placed  in 
what  the  white  men  said ;  that  their  fair  promises 
were  only  intended  to  allure  us,  that  they  might  the 
more  easily  Kill  us,  as  they  have  done  many  Indians 
before  they  killed  these  Moravians. 

Cr  ^wf. — I  am  sorry  to  hear  you  speak  thus  ;  as  to 
Williamson's  going  out  again,  when  it  was  known 
that  he  was  determined  on  it,  I  went  out  with  him  to 
prevent  him  from  committing  fresh  murders. 


i 


IMDUN  ANBl'DOTCS, 


17J 


}Vingen. — ^Thii,  Colonel,  the  Indians  would  not 
believe,  were  even  I  to  tell  tliem  so. 

Cratof, — And  why  would  they  not  believe  it  f 

JVingen. — Because  it  would  have  been  out  of 
your  power  to  prevent  his  doing  what  he  pleased. 

Cratof. — Out  of  my  po\^cr  !  Have  any  Moravian 
Indians  been  killed  or  hurt  since  we  came  out? 

fVingen. — None ;  but  you  went  first  to  their  town, 
and  finding  it  empty  and  deserted  you  turned  on  the 
path  towards  us.  If  you  had  been  in  search  of  war- 
riors only,  you  would  not  have  gone  thither.  Our 
spies  watched  you  closely.  They  saw  you  while  you 
were  embodying  yourrelves  on  the  otlier  side  of  the 
Ohio ;  they  saw  you  cross  that  river ;  they  saw  where 
you  encamped  at  night ;  they  \w  you  turn  off  from 
the  path  to  the  deserted  Moravian  town ;  they  knew 
you  were  going  out  of  your  way  ;  your  steps  were 
constantly  watched,  and  you  were  suffered  quietly  to 
proceed  until  you  reached  the  spot  where  you  were 
attacked. 

Crawf, — ^What  do  they  intend  to  do  with  me  f  Can 
you  tell  me  f 

Wingen. — I  tell  you  with  grief.  Colonel.  As 
Williamson  and  his  whole  cowardly  host  ran  off  In 
in  the  night,  at  the  wliistling  of  our  warriors'  balls, 
being  satisfied  that  now  he  had  no  Moravians  to  deal 
with,  but  men  who  could  fight,  and  with  such  he  did 
not  wish  to  have  any  thing  to  do  ;  1  say,  as  he  es- 
caped, and  they  have  taken  you,  they  will  take  re- 
venge  on  you  in  his  stead. 

Craw/, — And  is  there  no  possibility  of  preventing 
this  f  Can  you  devise  no  way  to  get  me  ofi*?  You 
shall,  my  friend,  be  well  rewarded  if  you  are  iustru- 
mental  in  saving  my  life. 

Wingen. — H  ad  Williamson  been  taken  with  you,  I 
and  some  friends,  by  making  use  of  what  you  have 
told  me,  might  perhaps,  have  succeeded  to  save  yav. 

Vol.  I.  15 


1 


!/| 


■V 


€ 


174 


INDIAN  ANECJIOTES. 


but  as  the  matter  now  stands,  no  man  would  dare 
to  interfere  in  your  behalf.  The  king  of  England 
himself,  were  he  to  come  to  this  spot,  with  all  his 
wealth  and  treasures  could  not  effect  this  purpose. 
The  blood  of  the  innocent  Moravians,  more  than 
half  of  them  women  and  children,  cruelly  and  wan- 
tonly murdered  calls  aloud  for  revenge.  The  relatives 
of  the  slain,  who  are  among  us,  cry  out  and  stand 
ready  for  revenge.  The  nation  to  which  they  be- 
longed will  have  revenge.  The  Shawanese,  our 
grand-children,  have  asked  for  your  fellow  prsoner } 
on  him  they  will  take  revenge.  All  the  nations  con- 
nected with  us  cry  out  Hevenge  !  revenge !  The  Mo- 
ravians whom  you  went  to  destroy  having  fled,  in- 
stead of  avenging  their  brethren,  the  offence  is  be- 
come national,  and  the  nation  itself  is  bound  to  take 

REVENGE ! 

Crauf. — Then  it  seems  my  fate  is  decided,  and  1 
must  prepare  to  meet  death  in  its  worst  form  f 

fVingen. — Yes,  Colonel ! — I  am  sorry  for  it;  but 
cannot  do  any  thing  for  you.  Had  you  attended  to 
the  Indian  principle,  that  as  good  and  evil  cannot 
dwell  together  in  the  same  heart,  sc  a  good  man 
ought  not  to  go  into  evil  company ;  you  would  not 
be  in  this  lamentable  situation.  You  see,  now,  when 
it  is  too  late,  after  Williamson  h  s  deserted  you, 
whnt  a  bad  man  he  must  be  !  Nothing  now  remains 
for  you  but  to  meet  your  fate  like  a  brave  man. 
Farewell,  Colonel  Crawford  !  they  are  coming  ;*  1 
will  retire  to  a  solitary  spot. 

I  have  been  assured  by  respectable  Indians  that 
at  the  close  of  this  conversation,  which  was  related 
to  me  by  Wingenimd  himself  as  well  as  by  others, 
both  he  and  Crawford  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears  ; 

"*  The  people  were  at  that  momeot  adranciiig,  with  shouts  aiui 
y«lU,  to  torture  aad  put  him  to  death. 


v£=Eri 


■I 


INDIAN  ANECDOTES. 


176 


•rith  ihouts  aitU 


they  then  took  an  afTectionate  leave  of  each  other, 
and  the  chief  immediately  hid  kitnselfin  the  bushes^ 
as  the  Indians  express  it,  or  in  his  own  language, 
retired  to  a  solitary  spot.     He  never,  afterwards, 
spoke  of  the  fate  of  his  unfortunate  friend  without 
strong  emotions  of  grief,  which  I  have  several  times 
witnessed.     Once,  it  was  the  first  time  that  he  came 
into    Detroit  afler  Crawford's    sufferings,  1    heard 
him  censured  in  his  own  presence  by  some  gentle- 
men who  were  standmg  together  for  not  having  saved 
the  life  of  so  valuable  a  man,  who  was  also  his  par- 
ticular friend,  as  he  had  often  told  them.  He  listened 
calmly  to  their  censure,  and  first  turning  to  me,  said 
In  his  own  lan^^uage  :    "  These  men  talk  like  fools," 
then  turning  to  them,  he  replied  in  English :  *'  If 
king  George  himself,  if  your  king  had  been  on  the 
spot  with  all  the  ships   laden  with  goods  and  tre;*- 
sures,  he  could  not  have  ransomed  my  friend,  nor 
saved  his  life  from  the  rage  of  a  jwtly  exasperated 
multitude."— Heckewelder. 

Satirical  Wit. 

An  Indian,  who  spoke  good  English,  came  one 
da/  to  a  house  where  I  was  on  business,  and  desired 
me  to  ask  a  man  who  was  there  and  who  owed  him 
some  money,  to  give  an  order  in  writing  for  him  to 
get  a  little  salt  at  the  store,  which  he  would  take  in 
part  payment  of  his  debt.  The  man,  after  reproving 
the  Indian  for  speaking  through  an  interpreter  when 
he  could  speak  such  good  English,  told  him  that  he 
must  call  again  in  an  hour's  time,  for  he  was  then  too 
much  engaged.  The  Indian  went  out  and  returned 
at  the  appointed  time,  when  he  was  put  off  again  for 
another  hour,  and  when  he  came  the  third  ti  me,  the 
other  told  him  he  was  still  engaged  and  he  must 
oome  again  in  half  an  hour.   My  Indian  friend's  pa- 


1. 


176 


INDIAN   ANECDOTES. 


%'^'i 


I    ■ 

i? 

ll 

ti 

I  f 

1 

feyj 

K» 

r^ 

for 

^    ; 

1 

-"t 

I 

^  w. 

i'lf; 

■  ■^-' 

sWiT 

tience  was  not  exhausted,  he  turned  to  me  and  ad 
dressed  me  thus  in  his  own  language :  "  Tell  this 
man,''  said  he,  **  that  while  1  have  been  waiting  for 
his  convenience  to  give  me  an  order  for  a  Kttle  salt, 
I  have  had  time  to  think  a  great  deal.  I  thought 
that  when  we  Indians  want  any  thing  of  one  anotiier, 
we  serve  each  other  on  the  spot,  or  if  we  cannot,  we 
say  so  at  once,  but  we  never  say  to  any  one  *  call 
again !  call  again  !  call  again  !  three  times  call 
again  !*  Therefore  when  this  man  put  me  off  in  this 
manner,  I  thought  that,  to  be  sure,  the  white  people 
were  very  ingenious,  and  probably  he  was  able  to  do 
what  no  body  else  could.  1  thought  that  as  it  was 
afternoon  when  I  first  came,  and  he  knew  I  had  seven 
miles  to  walk  to  reach  my  camp,  he  had  it  in  his 
power  to  stop  the  sun  in  its  course,  until  it  suited 
him  to  give  me  the  order  that  I  wanted  for  a  little 
salt.  So  thought  1, 1  shall  still  have  day  light  enough, 
I  shall  reach  my  can^p  before  night,  and  shall  not  be 
obliged  to  walk  in  the  dark  at  the  risk  of  falling  and 
hurting  my  myself  by  the  way.  But  when  I  saw  that 
the  sun  did  not  wait  for  him,  and  I  had  at  least  to 
(^alk  seven  miles  in  an  obscure  night,  I  thought  then, 
that  it  would  be  better  if  i!je  white  people  were  to 
learn  something  of  the  Indians." 

1  once  asked  an  old  Indian  acquaintance  of  mine, 
who  had  come  with  his  wife  to  pay  me  a  visit,  where 
he  had  been,  that  I  had  not  seen  him  for  a  great 
while  ?  "  Don't  you  know,"  he  answered,  "  that  thr 
white  people  some  time  ago  summoned  us  to  a  treaty, 
to  buy  land  of  them.'"' — "That  is  true,"  replied  1. 
"I  had  indeed  forgotten  it;  I  thought  you  was  just 
returned  from  your  fall  hunt." — **  No,  no,  replied 
the  Indian,  "  my  fall  hunt  has  been  lost  to  me  thi» 
season ;  I  had  to  go  and  get  my  share  of  the  pur- 
chase money  for  the  land  we  sold" — "  Well  then,' 
Slid  I,  "I  suppose  you  got  enough  to  satisfy  you  ?'* 


^  -^-  <1^-'...^, 


INDIAN    ANECDOTESo 


n? 


1 


Indiant — "  I  can  show  you  all  that  I  got.  I  have 
{•eceived  such  and  such  articles,"  (naming  them  and 
the  quantity  ofeach,)  '*  do  you  think  that  is  enough?" 

Heckew. — "  That  I  cannot  know,  unless  you  tell 
me  how  much  of  the  land  which  was  sold  came  to 
your  share." 

Indian^ — (after  considering  a  little)  *•  Well,  you, 
my  friend  !  know  who  I  am,  you  know  I  am  a  kind 
of  chief.  I  am,  indeed,  one,  though  none  of  the 
greatest.  Neither  am  I  one  of  the  lowest  grade,  but 
I  stand  about  in  the  middle  rank.  Now,  as  such,  ] 
think  I  was  entitled  to  as  much  land  in  the  tract  we 
sold  as  would  lie  within  a  day's  walk  from  this  spot 
to  a  point  due  north,  then  a  days's  walk  from  that 
point  to  another  due  west,  from  thence  another  day's 
walk  due  south,  then  a  day's  walk  to  where  we  now 
are.  Now  yon  can  tell  me  if  what  I  have  shown 
you  is  enough  for  all  the  land  lying  between  these 
four  marks  ?" 

Hecketv. — "  If  you  have  made  your  bargain  so 
with  the  white  people,  it  is  all  right,  and  you  pro- 
bably have  received  your  share." 

Indian^ — "Ah!  but  the  white  people  made  the 
bargain  by  themselves,  without  consulting;  us.  They 
told    us  that  they  would  give  us  so  much,  and  no 


more. 


>» 


Heckew. — "  Well,  and  you  consented  thereto  .''" 

Indian, — **  What  could  we  do,  when  they  told  us 
that  they  must  have  the  land,  and  for  such  a  price  ? 
Was  it  not  better  to  take  something  than  nothing  ? 
for  they  would  have  the  land,  and  so  we  took  what 
ihey  gave  us." 

Heckew. — "  Perhaps  the  goods  they  gave  you 
came  high  in  price.  The  goods  which  come  over 
the  great  salt-water  lake  sometimes  vary  in  their 
prices." 

/nrfta/i,— The  traders  sell  their  goods  for  just  the 

16* 


iirr^ 


•tass 


•W' 


iU 


INDIAN   ANECDOTES. 


:! 


<«  A- 


my,, 


*1 


same  prices  that  they  did  before,  so  that  I  rather 
think  it  is  the  land  that  has  fallen  in  value.  We, 
Indians,  do  not  understand  selling  iands  w  the  white 
people ;  for,  when  we  sell,  the  price  of  land  is  al- 
ways low;  land  is  then  cheap,  but  when  the  white 
people  sell  it  out  among  themselves,  it  is  always  dear, 
and  they  are  sure  to  get  a  high  price  for  it.  I  had 
done  much  better  if  I  had  staid  at  home  and  minded 
my  fall  hunt.  You  know  I  am  u  pretty  good  hunter 
and  might  have  killed  a  great  many  deer,  sixty, 
eighty,  perhaps  .a  hundred,  and  besides  caught  many 
racoons,  beavers,  otters,  wild  cats,  and  other  ani- 
mals, while  I  was  at  this  treatry.  I  have  often  kil- 
led five,  six,  and  seven  deer  in  one  day.  Now  1  have 
lost  nine  of  the  best  hunting  weeks  in  the  season  by 
going  to  get  what  you  see  !  We  were  told  the  pre- 
cise time  when  we  must  meet.  We  came  at  the  very 
(lay,  but  the  great  white  men  did  not  do  so,  and 
without  them  nothing  could  be  done.  When  aftier 
some  weeks  they  at  last  came,  we  traded,  we  sold 
our  lands  and  received  goods  in  payment,  and  when 
(hat  was  over,  I  went  to  my  hunting  grounds,  but  the 
best  time,  the  rutting  time,  being  over,  I  killed  btU  a 
few.  Now,  help  me  to  count  up  what  I  have  lost  l)> 
going  to  the  treaty.  Put  down  eighty  d^ei  ;  say 
twenty  of  them  were  bucks,  each  buck-skin  one  dol- 
lar ;  then  sixty  does  and  vo  r,  -  bucks  at  two  skins 
for  a  dollar;  thirty  Jollars,  mul  .wenty  for  the  olii 
bucks,  make  fiftv  dollars  losi  to  me  in  deer  skins 
Add,  then,  twenty  dollars  more  to  this  for  racoon, 
beaver,  wild  cat,  binck  fox,  and  otter  skins,  and  wlini 
does  the  whole  amount  to  .'*" 

Heckeiv. — "  Seventy  dollars." 

Indian. — "Well,  let  it  be  only  seventy  dollars,  buj 
how  much  might  I  have  bought  of  the  traders  for  this 
money !  How  well  we  might  have  lived,  I  and  my 
family  in  the  woods  during  that  time  !    How  much 


INDIAN   ANECDOTES. 


170 


A 


meat  would  my  wife  have  dried !  how  much  tallow 
saved  and  sold  or  exchanged  for  salt,  flour,  tea 
and  chocolate !  All  this  is  now  lost  to  us ;  and 
had  I  not  such  a  good  wife  (stroking  her  under 
the  chin)  who  planted  so  much  corn,  and  so  many 
beans,  pumpkins,  squashes,  and  potatoes  last  sum> 
mer,  my  family  would  now  live  most  wretchedly.  I 
have  learned  to  be  wise  by  going  to  treaties,  1  shall 
never  go  there  again  to  sell  my  land  and  lose  my 
time." — Heckcwelder. 

Use  op  the  Bible  by  White  People. 

The  Indians  will  not  admit  that  the  whites  arc 
superior  beings.  They  say  that  the  hair  of  their 
heads,  their  features,  the  various  colours  of  theii 
eyes,  evince  that  they  are  not  like  themselves  Lcnni 
Lenope,  an  Original  People,  a  race  of  men  that 
has  existed  unchanged  from  tlie  beginning  of  time  ; 
but  they  are  a  mixed  race,  and  therefore  a  troublesome 
one;  wherever  they  may  be,  the  Great  Spirit, 
knowing  the  wickedness  of  their  disposition,  found  it 
necessary  to  give  them  a  great  Book,^  and  taught 
them  how  to  read  it,  that  they  might  know  and  observe 
what  he  wished  them  to  do  and  to  nbstuin  from.  But 
they,  the  Indians,  have  no  need  of  any  such  book 
to  let  them  know  the  will  of  their  Maker;  they  find 
it  engraved  on  their  own  hearts ;  they  have  had  suffi- 
cient discernment  given  to  them  to  distinguish  good 
from  evil,  and  by  following  that  guide,  they  are  sure 
not  to  err. 

It  is  true,  they  confess,  that  when  they  first  saw 
the  whites,  they  took  ihcnj  for  beings  of  a  superior 
kind.  They  did  not  know  but  that  they  had  been 
sent  to  them  from  the  abode  of  the  Great  Spirit  fc  r 


,« 


\  I 


-V        A 


*  The  niblft. 


■".BP 


180 


INDIAN    ANECDOTES. 


{■>•■ 


I  nt 


r 


some  great  and  important  purpose.  They  therefore, 
welcomed  them,  hoping  to  be  made  happier  by  their 
company.  It  was  not  long,  however,  before  they  dis- 
covered their  mistake,  imving  found  them  an  ungrate- 
ful insatiable  people,  who,  though  the  Indians  had  gi- 
ven them  as  much  land  as  was  necessary  to  raise 
provisions  for  themselves  and  their  families,  and  pas- 
ture for  their  cattle,  wanted  stilt  to  have  more,  and 
at  last  would  not  be  contented  with  less  than  the 
vt^ole  country.  "  And  yet,"  say  those  injured  peo- 
ple, *'  these  white  men  would  always  be  telling  us  of 
their  great  Book  which  God  had  given  to  them  ; 
they  would  persuade  us  that  every  man  was  good 
who  believed  in  what  the  Book  said,  and  every  man 
was  bad  who  did  not  believe  in  it.  They  told  us  a 
great  many  Mnngs,  which  they  said  were  written  in 
the  good  Book,  ar^d  wanted  us  to  believe  it  all.  We 
would  probably  have  done  so,  if  we  had  seen  them 
practise  what  thiy  pretended  to  believe,  and  act  ac- 
cordiiig  to  the  good  words  which  they  told  us.  But 
no  !  while  they  held  iheir  big  Book  in  one  hand,  in 
the  ot';er  they  had  murderou:  weapons,  guns  and 
swords,  Viiicrewith  to  kill  us,  poor  Indians!  Ah! 
and  they  did  &o  too,  they  killed  those  who  believed 
in  their  Book,  as  well  as  those  who  did  not.  Vhey 
made  no  distinction!  — Heckewelder. 

Theaties. 

The  Indians  in  early  limes  ^vould  never  even  per- 
mit any  .varlike  weapons  to  remain  within  the  \.  nits 
of  ♦hcir  co,'«ci7^re,  when  assembled  together  about 
the  01  iinary  business  of  government.  It  might,  they 
sal  [,  liaTfc  a  i  ■'d  ef/ect,  and  defeat  the  object  for 
which  .Hey  ti'id  «net.  h  might  be  u  check  on  some 
of  the  pe  '  n  assembled,  and  perhaps,  prevent  those 
who  had  .   just  comr  lint  or  representation  to  make, 


INDIAN  ANECDOTES. 


idi 


I  therefore, 

|r  by  their 

they  dis- 

ungrate- 

[ns  had  gi- 

ry  to  raise 

I,  and  pas- 

more,  and 

s  than  the 

jnred  pco- 

lling  us  of 

:  to  them  ; 

wm   good 

every  roan 

y  told  us  a 

written  in 

it  all.    We 

seen  them 

and  act  ac- 

d  us.     But 

le  hand,  in 

guns   and 

!     Ah! 


ans 

10   believed 

lot.     Vhey 


r  even  per- 
n  the  i.  nits 
ether  about 
might,  they 
object  for 
ck  on  some 
event  those 
}n  to  make, 


from  speaking  their  minds  freely.  William  Penn, 
said  they,  when  he  treated  with  them,  adopted  this 
ancient  mode  of  their  ancestors,  and  convened  them 
under  a  grove  of  shady  trees,  where  the  little  birds 
on  their  boughs  were  warbling  their  sweet  notes.  In 
commemoration  of  these  conferences  (which  are 
always  to  Indians  a  subject  of  pleasing  remem- 
brance) they  frequently  assembled  together  in  the 
woods,  in  some  shady  spot  as  nearly  as  possible  sim- 
ilar to  those  where  they  used  to  meet  their  brother 
MiquoUf  and  there  lay  all  his  *'  words'*^  or  speeches, 
with  those  of  his  descendants,  on  a  blanket  or  clean 
piece  of  bark,  and  with  great  satisfaction  go  suc- 
cessively over  the  whole.  This  practice  (which  I 
have  repeatedly  witne«>sed)  continued  until  the  year 
1780,  when  the  disturbances  which  then  took  place 
put  an  end  to  it,  probably  foi  ever. 

These  pleasing  remembrances,  these  sacred  usages 
are  no  more.  "  When  we  treat  with  the  white  peo- 
ple," do  the  Indians  now  say,  '*  we  have  not  the 
choice  of  the  spot  where  the  messengers  are  to  meet. 
When  we  are  called  upon  to  conclude  a  peace,  (and 
what  a  peace  ?)  the  meeting  no  longer  takes  place  in 
the  shady  grove,  where  the  innocent  little  birds  with 
their  cheerful  songs,  seem  as  if  they  wished  to  soothe 
and  enliven  our  minds,  tune  them  to  amity  and  con- 
cord and  take  a  part  in  the  good  work  for  which  we 
are  met.  Neither  is  it  at  the  sacred  council  house, 
that  we  are  invited  to  assemble.  No  ! — It  is  at  some 
of  those  horrid  places,  surrounded  with  mounds  and 
ditches,  where  the  most  destructive  of  all  weapons, 
where  great  guns,  are  gaping  at  us  with  their  wide 
mouths,  as  if  ready  to  devour  us ;  and  thus  we  are 
prevented  from  speaking  our  minds  freely,  as  bro- 
thers ought  to  do  !" 

How  then,  say  they,  can  there  be  any  sincerity 
in  such  councils  ?  how  can  a  treaty  of  this  kind  be 


i 


;llit^lli.Mui|iHMiM 


m* 


:H 


i$2 


INDIAN   AKEC00TK5. 


binding  on  men  thus  forced  to  agree  to  what  is 
dictated  to  them  in  a  strong  prison  and  at  ihc  can- 
non's mouth ;  where  all  the  stipulations  are  on  one 
side,  where  all  is  concession  on  the  one  part  and 
no  friendship  appears  on  the  other  !  From  these  consi- 
derations, which  they  urge  and  constantly  dwell  upon, 
the  treaties  which  they  make  with  the  white  men  have 
lost  all  their  force,  and  they  think  themi»e]ves  no  longer 
bound  by  them  than  they  are  compelled  by  superior 
power.  Are  they  right  in  this  or  are  they  wrong.' 
The  impartial  reader  must  decide. — Heckkweldek 


[,j^ 


0  what  is 
it  ihc  can- 
re  on  one 
part  and 
lese  consi- 
well  upon, 
men  have 
no  longer 
y  superior 
»y  wrong? 

EWELDEK 


J^iknUk. 


